Camptown Races

From Vol. 2
Family Favorites

SUGGESTED KEY: A

CAPO: None

CHORD FAMILY: A

TIME SIGNATURE: 3/4

SKILL LEVEL: Easy

A Little About This Song…

Camptown Races was written by Stephen Foster when he was 24 years old and was first published as “Gwine to Run all Night”. Ed Christy’s Minstrels made it popular but Foster never made much money on it since only 5,000 copies were sold in the first seven years. His take on royalties was barely over $100, so he eventually sold the rights. The 1952 movie “I Dream of Jeanie” featured it as did musicals “Colorado” and “Swanee River”, the story of Stephen Foster’s life. It has since become one of Foster’s best-known compositions.