Oliver Anthony Music On ‘Crazy’ Rise To Fame, New Album, And World Tour
The Virginia native promises to stay grounded amid his success.
Oliver Anthony Music; Photo by Chris Hollo
A year ago, no one knew the name Oliver Anthony Music or the song “Rich Men North Of Richmond.” That all changed late last summer when the singer/songwriter shared an acoustic performance of the song on YouTube. Against all odds, “Rich Men North Of Richmond” achieved massive success on streaming platforms and YouTube, propelling the track to a No.1 debut on the Billboard Hot 100—an unprecedented feat for a new, independent artist.
Prior to the success of the song, Oliver Anthony Music, whose real name is Christopher Lunsford, was working a normal job and had never even played a live show.
“It all happened real fast,” he recalled during a recent conversation with Country Now and other outlets.
As the song gained momentum, Lunsford landed his very first show at a local farmers market.
“That was my first paid gig and 12,000 people showed up,” he recalled. “And me and the guitarist, he had never played with me before and I had never played at all. And so…we were totally winging it up there. And it’s been just that crazy ever since.”
“Crazy” is an understatement. Months after playing his first show, Lunsford booked a world tour dubbed the “Out of the Woods Tour,” taking his music to 40+ cities throughout 2024. The trek kicked off on February 1 with a run of sold-out shows in Europe, a two-night, sold-out debut at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, a massive show at RODEOHOUSTON, and more.
One of the most eye-opening aspects of the tour so far has been the deep connection he’s gotten to share with his fans, particularly through the song “I’ve Got To Get Sober,” which he considers “the best song that I’ll ever write.”
“It’s like that at every show,” Lunsford pointed out. “There was somebody at the rodeo, these two people who lost their son to [addiction] and he’d been in and out of rehabs…When you sit there and play a show for an hour, and then somebody comes up to you after and they say they’ve been sitting there crying the whole time and they lost their son and you’re helping ’em get through [it]…What do you even say to that? How do you even… But it’s like that at every show.”
He acknowledged that some people “are just there to get drunk and have a good time,” but said he believes a third of the audience comes to experience something more meaningful. In fact, he shared that his fans “feel like family.”
“It’s above my head to understand, but it’s obviously more than just people coming to listen to a band. Some people come to those shows for a, it’s like a spiritual thing is the only way I know how to say it,” he added.
Amid his tour, Lunsford dropped his first studio album, HYMNAL OF A TROUBLED MAN’S MIND. Arriving on Easter Sunday, this collection was produced by GRAMMY winner Dave Cobb and tells Lunsford’s personal stories through 10 self-penned tracks.
“I was using those songs in the same way that some people might journal their thoughts,” he explained. They [the songs] were kind of put almost chronologically and maybe almost in the order they were written. The whole album is just supposed to tell a story from maybe 10 years ago until everything blew up.”
The Virginia native promises to remain true to himself despite his rapid success, and continues to place value on what matters most to him in life: his family.
“I’m just very careful to not let any of this change us. We’re not going and buying fancy cars. We’re not buying any new crap…The wealth that we’ve got is our time now. I can see my kids all day. We are not both at work all day worrying about stuff. That’s really what I’ve tried to invest heavily in.”
Someday, he hopes to create a foundation to “do some good” for others, but until then, his focus is on making music and traveling the world with his family in tow.
Oliver Anthony Music’s Out Of The Woods Tour continues through the fall.
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.
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