Oliver Anthony Cancels Knoxville Concert, Apologizes for High Ticket Prices, And Vows to Find Affordable Alternative
“I’m just upset seeing those prices,” Anthony admitted in a statement to his fans.
Oliver Anthony; Photos via Instagram
Oliver Anthony has made the difficult decision to cancel his upcoming concert at the Cotton Eyed Joe in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The rising country artist, known for his viral hit “Rich Men North Of Richmond,” expressed his disappointment at the high ticket prices ($99) and paid meet-and-greet opportunities ($199) associated with the show.
Takes Full Responsibility
Taking responsibility for the situation, Anthony shared a statement with his followers that provided full transparency regarding the circumstances.
“Cotton Eyed Joe has been cancelled. Ultimately, it’s my fault for not being more directly involved with the venues who have reached out,” Anthony admitted. “My plate has been full and I delegated the responsibility to someone else to help me book. I am not pointing fingers at Cotton Eyed Joe, I don’t know where the miscommunication took place.”
He went on to share his frustrations over the ticket prices and promised to ensure that fans who already purchased tickets receive a full refund, even if that means he has to use his own money to reimburse them.
Upset Over Ticket Prices
“I’m just upset seeing those prices. We will find another place in Knoxville area that can do $25 ticket and free meet and greet,” he said. “I will work to get your tickets refunded from my own budget if they can’t.”
He concluded his statement by promising that this situation would serve as a learning experience, ensuring that such pricing discrepancies wouldn’t happen again in the future.
“This will never happen again. Thanks for your patience. I am still learning how all of this works,” Anthony added.
Just hours before the official cancellation, Anthony addressed the cost of the show, which was booked by his friend who works full-time as a plumber.
Wants To Play Affordable Shows
“I apologize for the price at Cotton Eyed Joe. Have a friend of mine trying to help me book gigs. I told him I don’t want to do anything that’s more than $40 a ticket, ideally no more than $25 a piece,” he explained. “These are supposed to be affordable shows. Please don’t pay $90 for a ticket. I’m going to work out the details with him and if we have to reschedule this event somewhere else we will.”
He later reminded fans that two out of the four concerts that he has played have been free.
Fans flocked to the comments section of Anthony’s post to praise him for remaining true to his roots and looking out for the working man.
“Your integrity is next level,” wrote one Instagram user, while another shared, “Class act!”
Another user wrote, “Dude, that’s awesome. You can single-handedly dismantle and rebuild the system that destroyed the independent…thank you…God bless.”
Upcoming Performances
The news comes after Oliver Anthony performed a full set at Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Virginia. He also performed a surprise set alongside Shinedown and Papa Roach in the parking lot after the festival was cancelled due to weather.
The Virginia native will soon take to the road for several performances at upcoming festivals, including Tootsies Birthday Bash, Poppy Mountain Music Festival, Louder Than Life, Alley Fest, Appalachia Meets The Ozarks and more.
Historic Chart Debut
In August, Oliver Anthony made a historic debut at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with “Rich Men North of Richmond.”
The viral hitmaker became the first artist in history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with no prior chart history “in any form,” according to a report from Billboard.
This achievement makes Oliver Anthony the first unsigned artist since 1994 to be No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The last unsigned artist to earn a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 was Lisa Loeb with her single, “Stay (I Missed You),” which was released in 1994 via RCA Records.
He reacted to the news, telling Billboard, “The hopelessness and frustration of our times resonate in the response to this song,” he told the outlet. ”The song itself is not anything special, but the people who have supported it are incredible and deserve to be heard.”
Anthony’s original performance clip of “Rich Men North Of Richmond” has amassed over 63 million views on YouTube to date.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
