The Life and Songs of Stephen Foster: A Revealing Portrait of the Forgotten Man Behind "Swanee River," "Beautiful Dreamer," and "My Old Kentucky Home" - Hardcover

by Joanne O'Connell (Author)

JoAnne O'Connell reveals a prolific composer who concealed his sympathies for slaves in his plantation songs and wrote in diverse styles to satisfy the changing tastes of his generation. This intimate biography offers an invaluable portrait of the musical, political, economic, social, racial, and gender issues of Antebellum and Civil War America.

Author Biography

JoAnne O'Connell has a background in history and classical vocal music. She earned her PhD at the University of Pittsburgh where she began researching her revisionist biography of the Pittsburgh born composer Stephen Collins Foster. She has taught at colleges and universities in Pennsylvania and Maryland, and currently spends her time researching and writing.