The biggest song in the world.
Virginia native Oliver Anthony burst out onto the country music scene a little more than a week ago, with a viral song that the cut right to the heart of America and the struggles of the working class.
A song that bridges across political party lines, across race and gender lines, “Rich Men North Of Richmond” takes aim at taxation, poverty, suicide and mental health, all from the perspective of someone who has lived and breathed it.
In a Facebook post introducing himself, Oliver explains that he is a high-school dropout who has worked various plant and factory jobs
“I dropped out of high school at age 17. I have a GED from Spruce Pine, NC. I worked multiple plant jobs in Western NC, my last being at the paper mill in McDowell county.
I worked 3rd shift, 6 days a week for $14.50 an hour in a living hell. In 2013, I had a bad fall at work and fractured my skull. It forced me to move back home to Virginia.
Due to complications from the injury, it took me 6 months or so before I could work again.”
Since then he’s taken a industrial sales job that sends all over Virginia and North Carolina:
“I’ve spent all day, everyday, for the last 10 years hearing the same story. People are SO damn tired of being neglected, divided and manipulated.”
Of course there’s been plenty of conspiracy theories about Oliver being a right-wing “industry plant,” however, according to Billboard, who had a conversation with Oliver Anthony’s co-manager, Draven Riffe, he was discovered organically through a friend.
Riffe, who operates the popular RadioWV YouTube Channel, knew he had to get him on the channel as soon as possible:
“I listened to Oliver’s music and I just knew he was special.
I feel like God had a hand in Oliver’s music. Me and him, we prayed before the session. Me and him together. We both prayed before we recorded ‘Rich Men North of Richmond.’
We both had an interesting experience the whole weekend. We just felt like it was for a purpose that was way bigger than us, just two old regular dudes, you know what I mean?”
He says that a number of people have reached out to Anthony, including Jelly Roll and Randy Travis’ team, however he also adds that Jamey Johnson showed up to that North Carolina farmer’s market completely unannounced:
“He got to talk to Jamey, which was sentimental to Oliver because he grew up burning the speakers up on his vehicle listening to Jamey.
So to get up there, your first time… that was special to Oliver.”
If definitely won’t be the last we hear from Oliver, who is busy plotting his next course as a country music star.
Oliver maintains that his music is about helping people, and that the mission of his budding new music career, however big that may be, will continue to be about helping people.
Riffe says:
“Oliver’s very passionate, not just about getting his message out, but helping a lot of other musicians get their message heard. That’s a key part of it.
Yes, he can play some big shows with big musicians, but he’s very passionate about bringing other unknown, unheard musicians up and helping them get their music out as well.”
Gotta love it.
