"Dear Hearts and Gentle People" is a popular song published in 1949 with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Bob Hilliard.
The song refers to the singer's hometown, and different versions allude to a range of U.S. states.
The songwriters were inspired to write the song based on a scrap of paper with the words "Dear friends and gentle hearts" written on it that was found on the body of Stephen Foster when he was discovered dying in a New York hotel room in January 1864.
[citation needed] Popular versions were recorded in 1949 by: