Oliver Anthony Reads Bible to Huge Crowd in First Show since Anti-D.C Swamp Song Went Viral
Blue-collar singer-songwriter Oliver Anthony performed in front of a huge overflowing crowd at a farmers’ market over the weekend.
The performance was Anthony’s first show since his anti-Washington D.C. swamp song went viral and became an overnight global smash hit.
As Slay News reported last week, Anthony went from being completely unheard of to having the most-listened-to song in the world.
On Sunday afternoon, an overwhelmed Anthony played his first concert since his blue-collar anthem “Rich Men North of Richmond” launched him from obscurity into stardom within just a few days.
Fittingly it was a free show at the Morris Farm Market on the northeastern edge of North Carolina.
As the overflow audience was scrambling to get a glimpse of him on the tiny stage, Anthony told the crowd he played there in June to “about 20 people.”
But before things got underway, Anthony opened a Bible to Psalm 37 and began reading:
“The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming …”
The crowd cheered as he became emotional while concluding the passage.
STOP what you’re doing and watch @AintGottaDollar’s first message on stage since his viral song…
With all the labels watching. POWERFUL 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/O2AFHxifr4
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) August 13, 2023
During the show, Anthony performed a powerful rendition of “Rich Men North of Richmond.”
The performance was punctuated by a throng of folks who knew all the words and sang them right back at him.
However, Anthony’s highlight was when country music star Jamey Johnson joined him onstage.
Johnson sang “In Color” to the delight of the crowd:
I’m not sure I’ll ever top this moment where @jamey_johnson surprised me to sing his all-time classic with me on stage.
What a legend. pic.twitter.com/msbpPHlk5E
— Oliver Anthony (@AintGottaDollar) August 14, 2023
Founder of High-Value Dad Jason Howerton has been getting the word out about Anthony and flew to North Carolina with a videographer to document Anthony’s show Sunday.
Howerton noted that the owner of the Morris Farm Market “just confirmed to me he had roughly 25 ACRES of parking filled for @AintGottaDollar’s show today.
“There were THOUSANDS. Too many to count.”
After the gig, Anthony stuck around for quite a long time to meet with his new fans who came to see him play:
.@AintGottaDollar has been doing photos and autographs for HOURS in the heat after his first live show since Richmond.
He quite literally is refusing to leave until he’s got through every one. pic.twitter.com/DEVuFTUSPV
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) August 13, 2023
People lined up as far as the eye can see for a chance at a picture with @AintGottaDollar… hard to describe what I’m witnessing 😭 pic.twitter.com/A8bBAUGQJR
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) August 13, 2023
In case you missed it, here is the smash hit video that propelled Anthony to stardom last week:
“Rich Men North of Richmond” is the most listened to track in the world in the past 24 hours.
This American working-man’s protest song has millions & millions of plays.
Sung by an off-the-grid farmer in the countryside with his dogs.
Follow Oliver Anthony at: @AintGottaDollar pic.twitter.com/xKEgZQXYx4
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 11, 2023
The lyrics are:
I’ve been selling my soul
Working all day
Overtime hours
For bullsh*t pay
So I can sit out here and waste my life away
Drag back home and drown my troubles away
It’s a damn shame
What the world’s gotten to
For people like me and people like you
Wish I could just wake up and it not be true
But it is, oh, it is
Living in the new world
With an old soul
These rich men north of Richmond
Lord knows they all just want to have total control
Wanna know what you think
Wanna know what you do
And they don’t think you know, but I know that you do
Cause your dollar ain’t shit, and it’s taxed to no end
‘Cause of rich men north of Richmond
I wish politicians would look out for miners
And not just minors on an island somewhere
Lord, we got folks in the street, ain’t got nothing to eat
And the obese milking welfare
Well God, if you’re 5 foot 3 and you’re 300 pounds
Taxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge rounds
Young men are putting themselves six feet in the ground
Cause all this damn country does is keep on kicking them down
Lord, it’s a damn shame
What the world’s gotten to
For people like me and people like you
Wish I could just wake up and it not be true
But it is, oh, it is
Living in the new world
With an old soul
These rich men north of Richmond
Lord knows they all just want to have total control
Wanna know what you think
Wanna know what you do
And they don’t think you know, but I know that you do
‘Cause your dollar ain’t shit, and it’s taxed to no end
‘Cause of rich men north of Richmond
I’ve been selling my soul
Working all day
Overtime hours
For bullsh*t pay
In times like these, the world desperately needs more Oliver Anthonys and far fewer “woke” celebrities.
