Also known by Oliver Anthony.
Let me preface this by saying that I have a decent understanding of where this man calls home.
He is from Farmville Va. about 30 miles from my family's properties.
My Sister, Brother, and Mom's husband live in the same county.
It's steep in rural Americana and the origins of my mother's bloodline.
Everyone has heard his hit single "Rich Men North of Richmond" by now and it's popularity has exploded on the country music genre.
Naturally, I was intrigued seeing VA local reaching such heights in the music industry.
On one YouTube video, he revealed that Oliver Anthony was his Grandfather, and his real name was Chris Lunsford.
This struck me as unusual, because I had done some research on a man named Bascom Lamar Lunsford, a man that championed the music of the region, and dedicated his life to preservation of the soul of old time mountain and country music.
Considering the geo, I immediately considered that Chris Lunsford would likely be a descendant of Bascom. I reached out to him but never received a reply. Bascom was instrumental in his passion and has many parallels with the story of John Carter from the Carter Family.
Here's a link to a documentary and wiki made with Boscum. He's quite a character.
David Hoffman made the doc and it is a very meaningful film about the musical roots of the area.
Here is his wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bascom_Lamar_Lunsford
I have no doubt that they share blood. Chris Lunsford's story is to me kind of remarkable.
The area has been depressed since the government started paying the farmers to not grow tobacco. This was good for the farm owners, but left the regular folks with little work and now the area is mostly NJ and other NE folk coming to retire for the reasonable price of living.
It's nice land and I may go there to die, and save the expense of transporting me once I contract chronic somnambulance.
.
The story goes that Chris was suffering from depression, and had reached his bottom of his usage of drugs and alcohol. At rock bottom, he gave his life to Christ and asked to be shown a better way. 30 days later he posted his song. Last night he debuted at the Grand Old Opry:
Before he preforms he reads from a bible.
First artist ever to debut Billboard Hot 100 @ #1
only artist living to have 13 in the top 50 on Billboard
Only Prince and MJ did this.. posthumously.
It's quite remarkable at the instant fame he has achieved.
Maybe there is a god, Maybe not. But his notoriety can't be denied, and I find it kind of wonderful.
His accompanist is super talented.
very clean playing up the neck.
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