“My favorite version of this tune, and one of my
favorites by Stephen Foster, a man whose life ended in tragedy. He gave us over
200 beautiful songs, all American classics. Foster tried to make a living as a
composer, but it was difficult, and his wife and daughter eventually left him.
Alone and impoverished, he lived in a run down hotel in New York City, and
during a bout of illness, fell into a china wash basin, broke it, and cut
himself badly. It took three hours for a doctor to arrive, and he died shortly
thereafter. Hard Times Come Again No More could have been his personal anthem,
even though it speaks of the human condition in general. Thank you, Stephen
Foster! I have no doubt that angels are singing your songs.”
Gunnar Thorsen
Kate & Anna McGarrigle and friends (Rufus
Wainwright - son of Kate -, Emmylou Harris, Mary Black, Karen Matheson, Rod
Paterson) perform Stephen Foster's Hard times come again no more during the
Transatlantic sessions.
















