Viral "Rich Men North of Richmond" singer Oliver Anthony is dropping a new album on Easter Sunday.
The crooner, who became an overnight success when his breakout single received 250 Million global streams last year, will release a 10-song collection that infuses music with spoken-word Gospel. The album, "Hymnal of a Troubled Man's Mind," will be independently released this Sunday, Mar. 31.
The single picked up steam after Donald Trump played it at a September rally in Virginia. A clip from the event went viral, leading the track to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also discussed during a Republican primary debate on Fox News by Ron DeSantis. While Anthony granted his permission for the song to be used, he has never formally affiliated himself with conservatives or any political figures and states that the song was, in fact, written about those discussing it.
Following the mass attention on "Rich Men of North Richmond," Anthony insists that his new release will represent who he truly is as an artist.
"This album represents the most pure and transparent view inside my heart and soul that I could offer. While Richmond was the song that got my name out in the public, this release represents the true foundation of the music that got me through life up until now," Oliver says.
The crooner worked on the LP with producer Dave Cobb, who has previously collaborated with artists like Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, and Brandi Carlile. The songs, however, are completely self-written by Anthony. He and Cobb recorded all 10 songs in an empty, decaying church in Savannah, GA, which he believes captures the imagery and sense of loss encapsulated throughout the music.
"'Hymnal of a Troubled Man's Mind' is the story of my life, from 2013 until 2023," says Anthony, whose real name is Chris Lunsford. "It is intended for the listener to sit down in a quiet place, undistracted and just listen beginning to end. Every lyric, every note - every everything - is intentionally placed.
The songs are considered to be "rough drafts" by Anthony, mostly recorded as Android voice memos directly after he wrote them. He plans for the album debut to kick off a series of new releases.
"In many cases, I had written the song not even 30 minutes before recording. My motivation for uploading was mainly to create a tangible medium, so the songs were safe for me to play at open mics without worrying about them being stolen. I feel that it was my responsibility to give a handful of my early written songs the completion they deserve. Now, I can begin releasing my most recent work, without feeling like I skipped an important step. Fans can expect to start seeing new releases soon, following this project.
To coincide with the album's release on Sunday, Anthony has plotted an Easter celebration to commemorate the drop. The special concert will be in Hopewell, Virginia at the historic Beacon Theatre. For those who cannot attend, he will be live-streaming the concert across his social media platforms.
The church, 70 miles from his hometown in Farmville, has also launched a new food outreach program. Since 2020, they have provided free meals to their community every Friday, feeding about 400 people. They recently extended the program to elementary school-aged children for meals throughout the weekend.
The album features an unreleased fan-favorite, "Momma's Been Hurting," along with tracks like "Rich Man's Gold," "Doggonit," "I've Got to Get Sober," "Cobwebs and Cocaine," "Hell on Earth," "I Want to Go Home," "Feeling Purdy Good," "Always Love You Like a Good Old Dog," and "VCR Kid."
