For enthusiasts of early banjo
North Star and Song of the Free
Though written and performed late in 1847, “Oh! Susanna” was published the following February by 21-year-old, Stephen Foster. It did not take long for the t...
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Comment by Al Smitley on April 18, 2025 at 7:19pm
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Though written and performed late in 1847, “Oh! Susanna” was published the following February by 21-year-old, Stephen Foster. It did not take long for the tune to become massively popular and used for lyrics of the Gold Rush and, in this case, the underground railroad. The first verse can be found in an 1849 songbook, the “Anti-Slavery Harp”, and taken from a song, “North Star” which has been attributed to Harriet Tubman. The rest of the verses came from an 1860 songsheet, “The Song of the Free”, held at the Library & Archives of Canada.
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