Farmville Area Musician Climbs to the Top of Music Charts

FARMVILLE – At the beginning of August most people outside of Prince Edward would not have heard of Christopher Anthony Lunsford and even now that name probably does not register with most people. But his stage name, Oliver Anthony, is known everywhere now after his song “Rich Men North of Richmond” has flown up charts to Number One.

Oliver Anthony uses that stage name as a dedication to his grandfather, and the internet has made it well known over the past two weeks.

Anthony recorded the song and uploaded it to YouTube where the song that talks about many of the issues that he feels are big problems in the United States took off. The song has been viewed over 20 million times online and Anthony has been offered contracts with record labels that he has not currently taken.

On his Facebook page, Anthony offers insight into his recent fame stating, “I have never taken the time to tell you who I actually am.”

“I’m sitting in such a weird place in my life right now. I never wanted to be a full time musician, much less sit at the top of the iTunes charts. Draven from RadioWv and I filmed these tunes on my land with the hope that it may hit 300k views. I still don’t quite believe what has gone on since we uploaded that. It’s just strange to me.”

He went on to say that the people in the music industry “give me blank stares when I brush off eight million dollar offers. I don’t want six tour buses, 15 tractor trailers and a jet. I don’t want to play stadium shows, I don’t want to be in the spotlight. I wrote the music I wrote because I was suffering with mental health and depression. These songs have connected with millions of people on such a deep level because they’re being sung by someone feeling the words in the very moment they were being sung.”

He has been playing at locations such as the North Street Press Club in Farmville. He just officially opened his website and also announced that he would be playing Sept. 14 at the Poppy Mountain Music Festival.