The singer Oliver Anthony took the country music world by storm last year with his hit song “Rich Men North Of Richmond,” a song slamming out-of-touch politicians who ignore the regular people.
That’s why it’s come as a surprise that he’s announced that he is leaving the country music world behind at the age of 32 to start a traveling ministry.
Anthony Leaving Music World
Anthony dropped this bomb in a lengthy YouTube video. In it, he sat in a wooded area with his two dogs talking about his life and his career.
“I’ve decided that moving forward, I don’t need a Nashville management company,” he said. “I don’t even need to exist within the space of music. So, I’m looking at switching my whole business over to a traveling ministry,” Anthony revealed after discussing how he believes “our system is broken.”
Anthony went on to say that he wants to “kind of keep things in the family business.” He explained that his great-grandfather had been a traveling minister.
“I have this vision for this thing that I’m calling the Real Revival Project, and it’s basically going to start as a grassroots music festival, but hopefully it grows into something that can literally change our landscape and our culture and the way we live,” he continued.
Anthony’s First ‘Thrown Together’ Show
Anthony is set to do his first “thrown together” show on Saturday. He is hoping to launch something that exists “parallel to Nashville that circumvents the monopolies of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, and it goes into towns that haven’t had music in them in a long time.”
Anthony’s goal is to stimulate the economies in these small towns. He plans to highlight their cultures while using local musicians and vendors, “so, you’re not having to drive to Pittsburgh to some concrete amphitheater to see a show.”
Anthony revealed earlier in the video that he’s already made all the money that he could want through his country music career.
“I never have to work another day in my life,” he said. “I have everything that I wanted.”
Related: Country Stars Luke Combs And Eric Church Raise Over $24.5 Million For Hurricane Victims
Anthony Felt ‘This Calling’ From God
Anthony admitted that he’s feeling “this calling” to “this voice from God that keeps putting this vision in my head of a way to make a real impact in this world, to make a real change, to help light a fire that no one really can extinguish in my lifetime or after.”
He is aware that he’s not doing anything revolutionary – but that’s kind of the point.
“I just want to help bridge the gap between millions of people who all believe in the greater vision of us all just getting back to living a normal life,” Anthony explained.
Check out Anthony’s full comments on this in the video below.
‘Rich Men North Of Richmond’
Anthony currently lives in Virginia with his wife and three children. Last year, Anthony became a household name overnight with the success of “Rich Men North of Richmond.” The song was critical of sleazy Washington D.C. politicians who only want “control.”
Relive that epic song in the video below.
It can’t be denied that Anthony has always marched to the beat of his own drum. While we will miss him in the country music world, we can’t help but support his traveling ministry goals. Here’s hoping this all works out for Anthony!
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