THE BONNIE BLUE FLAG

The flag itself - a single white 5-point star on a dark blue field - first appeared in 1810 as the banner of the 'Republic of West Florida', but was quickly ushered off history's stage by the Louisiana Purchase after hardly 3 months. Some years after, another version reappe...

First published in Philadelphia in 1838, “Old Rosin the Beau” likely comes to us from the British Isles. The words and melody are ‘traditional’, meaning there is no known lyricist or composer on record. For the longest time, we naturally thought the title referred to the “bow” that is “rosined” t...

“The “Battle Cry of Freedom” was composed by professional song writer George F. Root for a July 1862 Chicago war rally. The rally was in support of President Abraham Lincoln‘s call for an additional 300,000 volunteers to fill the ranks of the shrinking Union Army. The song was published In 1862 b...

“When Johnny Comes Marching Home” was published on September 26, 1863, by Henry Tolman & Co., of Boston, MA. The melody and lyrics were attributed to “Louis Lambert”, a pseudonym for Irish-American military band leader Patrick Gilmore. It is unknown why Gilmore chose not to acknowledge his compos...

“ The Boatman’s Dance” first appeared in print as a fiddle tune in George P. Knauff’s 1839 Virginia’s Reels, Volume IV, under the title “Ohio River.” The song is attributed to Daniel Decatur Emmett, a founder of the first troupe of minstrels, the “Virginia Minstrels.” He was born in Mount Vernon...

Words and music by Stephen Foster. This song, written in 1847, and composed when he was only 20, earned Foster his first payment - $100 cash - and has become one of his most enduring melodies. It was first performed in public by Foster himself at the Eagle Ice Cream Saloon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylv...

Truly 'born on the 4th of July', Stephen Foster began his life in 1826 Pennsylvania. Though having a troubled and tragically brief life spanning only 37 years, Foster nevertheless wrote memorable words and melodies for over 200 songs.

Many of Foster's most well-known songs were created for the b...

Now literally 'world-famous', the song known as "Buffalo Gals" is generally credited to one John Hodges (1821-1891), whose minstrel-stage character was called "Cool White." However, that name is only its last name, established after its 1848 publishing by the minstrel group, the Ethiopian Serenad...

This 1860 Stephen Foster 'plantation melody' was published in New York by Firth, Pond & Co. The song’s title is derived from the name of a 425 ton side-wheel packet steamer, the “Glendy Burke.” She was owned by the Vicksburg, Mississippi firm of Cobb & Nanlove, and plied the Ohio and Mississipp...