Stephen Foster
Foster wrote 28 songs for the minstrel stage. They differ substantially in subject matter and musical style from his household  songs. They are written in a negro dialect and their accompaniments suggest banjo-picking. Their musical style is sourced to African American music and the traditional and folk music of British Americans. Many of these songs were written for minstrel groups of the period such as the Sable Harmonists and the Christy Minstrels.