Stephen Foster

Earlier this month, my wife and I celebrated our anniversary over the the July 4th holiday in Bardstown, Kentucky. We had previously toured through the 19th century mansion, which Stephen Foster had called home as a child. The majestic mansion, which stood proudly over 1300 acres of plantation and was owned by Foster's uncle, John Rowan, looks very much today as it did yesteryear. However, during our recent visit, we took in an amphitheater production of Foster's life and music, one that has been performed every year since 1958!

I was surprised to learn that Stephen Foster was actually born in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania and spent most of his life in Pittsburgh, but visited Bardstown and fell in love with the appeals of Southern life. He was also exposed to the cruelties exhibited during this time period to the slave population, which translated into and influenced his song writing. The biggest influence, though, was his besotted affection for the young lass, Jane McDowell, who hailed from Pittsburgh. So much of Foster's creativity was driven by his passion to win "Jeanie's" hand, as was the main point of the amphitheater production. Their story also reinforced to me the old adage, "Artisans" - those who create art - always can be found on the bottom of society's financial ladder. This message was the main theme of the show.

What I didn't know was that Stephen Foster had encounters with a young Andrew Carnegie, who became a driving force during the "Gilded Age"; a time period I feature in my upcoming sequel.

There was a full three hours of Stephen Foster's compositions within the production, which featured his claim to fame songs - "Camptown Races", Swanee River", "My Old Kentucky Home", and "Oh! Susannah", a song I used as my debut novel and historical fiction depicting my third great grandmother's life - Susannah Reigle. www.beckleysbooks.com

I couldn't help smiling as the actors belted out the lyrics to "Oh! Susannah" and everyone danced about on stage. Here I was in Kentucky and they were shamelessly playing this song, , the song which became the reason for the state of Kentucky banning my book last year. You see, I am driven by authenticity and when my publisher questioned me, not once, but three times as to the validity of the lyrics I used at the beginning of my book, I stated quite confidently that these were the exact words that Stephen Foster had penned. What I learned from the amphitheater event was that Foster used his experiences in black minstrels and parlours as inspiration for his compositions and at one point, exclusively wrote "Plantation Songs".

Stephen Foster was born in 1826 and died in 1864, and during this time period, especially in the South, it was common to use the "N" word throughout your daily life. So, that horrible word shows up in "Oh! Susannah" within Foster's lyrics, and thus, my literary work was banned! And, when I made my appeal, I was informed that the State of Kentucky is so serious about this issue, they took their official State song, "My Old Kentucky Home", and sanitized the lyrics of the offensive word to comply with today's etiquette. Ok, I pled guilty, and none of my books, which have several chapters embedded with life in Kentucky, will ever be distributed.

Moving on, Stephen Foster's life's story and his success as "The Father of American Music", would never have been known or retold today if not for his infatuation with Jane McDowell. Long story short, with his emotive appeals, he won Janie's hand, she forfeiting what might have been a comfortable life as the wife of the mayor of Pittsburgh. She reluctantly turned her back away from this lifestyle to take a punt on a struggling artist/composer. Perhaps Foster's direct emotional appeal via his popular song, "Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair", made an heartfelt difference to his amour? Without doubt, Foster's strong point was his undoubted musicality, having taught himself to play the clarinet, guitar, flute, and piano, but his business acumen was not so good. Regardless, Jane McDowell followed her heart and chose Foster to marry in 1850. Sadly, due to overwhelming debts, the couple divorced four years later, and as depicted in the play, Foster's alcoholic demons took reign over his life.

Stephen Foster and Janie McDowell only had one child and there is no other reference of Foster having any family involvement after 1854. Stephen Collins Foster died on January 13, 1864, at the age of 37 and under suspicious circumstances. He was found in a pool of blood by his publicist in a hotel (flop house). Did Foster die three day's later from a serious neck injury due to a fall or was his death from a failed suicide attempt? His obituary mentions Foster having died of dissipation and drink.

I was amazed to learn that one of Foster's most famous songs, "Beautiful Dreamer", which was supposedly written to woo his mistress, Jane McDowell, wasn't actually published until after his death - 10 years after the marriage had ended. Notwithstanding, the emotive lyrics of Beautiful Dreamer gives one an impression of his mindset at the time of writing; "its only words, and words are all I have, to take your heart away." Even more amazingly how a down and out composer could keep a song so personal and moving under wraps, it only surfacing posthumously.

Here are the lyrics, and if you are familiar with the the tune, don't be shy, sing it out loud, if no other place, then in the shower.

Beautiful Dreamer

Beautiful Dreamer, wake unto me.

Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee.

Sounds of the rude world heard in the day.

Lull'd by the moonlight have all passed away!

Beautiful Dreamer, queen of my song

List while I woo thee with soft melody;

Gone are the cares of life's busy throng.

Beautiful Dreamer, awake unto me!

Beautiful Dreamer, awake unto me!