Below is a list of the best resources to consult for more information on Stephen Foster.  Web resources may be found on our Links page.

For information on additional Foster print resources,

please consult Calvin Elliker's book.

Austin, William. Susanna, Jeanie, and the Old Folks at Home : The Songs of Stephen C. Foster from His Time to Ours. 2nd edition, Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1987.

The best study of the poetic sources and varied interpretations of Foster's song texts.

Elliker, Calvin. Stephen Collins Foster: A Guide to Research. New York and London: Garland Publishing, 1988.

Indexes. Lists 423 editions of music, books and articles, pictures, statues, parks, memorials, dramatic and literary tributes, and musical compositions based on Foster's works.

Emerson, Ken. Doo-dah! Stephen Foster and the Rise of American Popular Culture. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1997.

First biography of Foster in over sixty years. Traces Foster's impact on twentieth century music and American popular culture.

Hamm, Charles. "Stephen Foster and Indigenous American Song" Chapter 9 in Music in the New World. New York and London: W.W. Norton, 1983.

Documents Foster's composition skills, analyzes his musical styles and influences.

Howard, John Tasker. Stephen Foster: America's Troubadour. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1934, 2nd edition, 1953.

First documentary biography of Foster. Contains extensive information on his career, excerpts from family letters, etc.

Morneweck, Evelyn Foster. Chronicles of Stephen Foster's Family. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1944.

Biography of Foster written by Foster's niece. The book includes the most thorough genealogy and history of the extended family.  Both Volume 1 and Volume II are both now available online as part of the University of Pittsburgh's Digital Library.

Root, Deane. "Rediscovering Stephen Collins Foster," AB Bookman's Weekly (December 6, 1993), pp. 2357-2372.

A description of the Foster Hall Collection at the University of Pittsburgh, its manuscript and rare-books materials, and how they contribute to our understanding of history.

Saunders, Steven and Root, Deane L., editors. The Music of Stephen C. Foster: A Critical Edition. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1990.

Winner of American Library Association Choice Award. The definitive edition of the composer's complete works, printed from copies of the original editions, with notes on sources.