The remarkable year includes breaking Billboard and venue capacity records, an acclaimed debut album, and an international tour
It’s been a year since Oliver Anthony Music’s “Rich Men North of Richmond” went viral and has been streamed over 433 million times. Released via YouTube, the track catapulted Chris Lunsford––the unforgettable and passionate voice of Oliver Anthony Music––to the spotlight overnight, setting several records including making him the first artist in history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard charts without any prior chart presence. He was also the first living male songwriter to chart 13 songs simultaneously in Billboard’s Top 50 Digital Song Sales. While “Rich Men” may have put Oliver Anthony Music on the map for his unique and emotional rasp shaped by personal battles, capturing the despair of those living without hope, especially those who live in small-town or rural America, this past year has proven why he’s here to stay.
“I’m almost through this year’s tour—I’ve done it without a label, I’ve done it without sponsors. I haven’t taken a dime from anyone,” Lunsford comments, “My fans made that possible and have truly changed my life forever. It means so much to me.”
As he consistently shared entirely self-penned music with little more than a microphone, guitar and expressive vocal, behind the scenes Oliver Anthony Music assembled his team over the last year – each partner hand-picked for their enthusiasm to support his vision and vow to always independently release music. His debut album Hymnal of a Trouble Man’s Mind was released on Easter Sunday. Produced by Grammy winner Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile), the ten-song collection, most of which are already known and cherished by Oliver Anthony’s fanbase, addresses the personal and universal struggles faced by the modern-day working-class and will be released on vinyl later this year. In June, Oliver Anthony Music also released the stirring “Cowboys and Sunsets” to help spotlight Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month and to continue the conversation around men’s mental well-being.
Oliver Anthony Music embarked on an impressive tour, performing across 19 states and selling out venues in both small towns like Hopewell, VA, and larger cities like Pittsburgh. He played for over 400,000 fans with record sell outs in Tennessee at Smokies Stadium, in Missouri at Ozark Amphitheater, at Virginia’s After Hours at The ServPro Pavilion and Beaver Dam Amphitheater in Kentucky, amongst others. He toured eight countries, including the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, and Australia. His blockbuster European run was a significant milestone, marking his first performances and travels outside of the US, where he wowed capacity crowds. In February, his sold-out two-night debut at Nashville’s iconic Ryman Auditorium was called “the most organic night of music the Mother Church will see in 2024” (The Music Universe). The Out of The Woods Tour continues to crisscross the United States where it continues to set venue records and host record-breaking crowds.
