Ask anyone to hum a traditional American song and the chances are they'll pick Oh Susanna. Camptown Races, Old Folks at Home or Beautiful Dreamer. If you don't know the words, you'll recognise the tune. Incredibly these classic American songs were written by one man, Stephen Foster. He was
America's first great songwriter and the first to earn a living from songs alone. He lived the life of a superstar and also died in true superstar fashion at 37, destitute. Now a political argument has begun to rage about his "theft" of slave melodies. Robert Zieglertalks to composer Carl Davis and Foster's biographer Ken Emerson about the songwriter's enduring appeal, and hears why his music had such an influence on all subsequent popular song. Producer Thomas Morris