Henry Russell was a composer, singer, and organist. Born in London, England, Russell gained popularity touring the United States as a singer and songwriter between 1835 and 1845, after which he returned to England. Before moving to Rochester and then Albany, New York, he had visited Italy and briefly lived in Canada around 1845. During the decade in which he traveled to the United States, Russell significantly influenced American popular music, composing and performing many popular parlor songs. Over the course of his life, Russell also worked as a chorus master, an organist, and a music teacher. Before his death on December 7, 1900, he had composed around three hundred songs, many of which were on various topics related to social reform.