The man behind the viral working-class anthem "Rich Men North of Richmond" is speaking candidly about his past, and his newfound fame.
Taking to Facebook on Thursday, the singer-songwriter made several stunning revelations, including that his real name is Christopher Anthony Lunsford, and that his chosen stage name belonged to his grandfather, Oliver Anthony. Lunsford explained that he chose to use the name in dedication not just to his grandfather, but to 1930s Appalachia, where he was born and raised.
"Dirt floors, seven kids, hard times," he explained.
Lunsford also admitted that he had declined $8 million in offers from music industry executives because a lavish lifestyle did not appeal to him. Instead, he is still living in a "27′ camper with a tarp on the roof" that he got off Craigslist.
"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," Lunsford continued, adding that he wrote the song because he had been struggling with 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 wrote. "No editing, no agent, no bulls**t. Just some idiot and his guitar. The style of music that we should have never gotten away from in the first place."
Lunsford noted that his previous job, working outside sales in industrial manufacturing, took him across Virginia and the Carolinas, and through it, he got to know "tens of thousands of other blue-collar workers on job sites and in factories."
"I've spent all day, every day, for the last 10 years hearing the same story. People are so damn tired of being neglected, divided, and manipulated," he stated.
In his Facebook post, Lunsford also commented on the general state of the nation, saying that he has "spent many nights feeling hopeless, that the greatest country on earth is quickly fading away."
"When is enough, enough? When are we going to fight for what is right again?" he asked. "MILLIONS have died protecting the liberties we have. Freedom of speech is such a precious gift. … Don’t let them take it away from you."
Concluding his post, Lunsford wrote: "Just like those once wandering in the desert, we have lost our way from God and have let false idols distract us and divide us. It’s a damn shame."
Billboard predicts that "Rich Men North of Richmond" has a strong chance of claiming the No. 1 spot on the upcoming Hot 100 chart, even though it has received minimal airplay on radio stations, Variety wrote.
As of Friday morning, the song held the No. 2 position on Spotify's Top 50 list for the U.S. Meanwhile, at the iTunes store, Lunsford's songs continue to command four of the top 10 spots.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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