Country-folk singer-songwriter Oliver Anthony is rising to fame with his No. 1 Billboard hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” — and now, he’s making sure to look out for his fans amid high ticket prices.
Anthony was set to perform at the Cotton Eyed Joe in Knoxville on September 27, however, he cancelled the gig after finding out how the expensive price for tickets.
“Ultimately, it’s my fault for not being more directly involved with the venues who have reached out,” Anthony said. “My plate has been full and I delegated the responsibility to someone else to help me book. I am not pointing fingers at Cotton Eyed Joe, I don’t know where the miscommunication took place. I’m just upset seeing those prices.”
Tickets for the show were going for $90, with meet and greet tickets priced at $200.
“That’s not acceptable,” he wrote on Instagram. “My shows should never cost more than $40, ideally no more than $25. Hell, out of the 4 shows we have currently done, 2 of them have been completely free.”
Anthony went on to say that he will find another place to perform in Knoxville, where he can only charge $25 a ticket and offer free meet and greet opportunities. Additionally, he promised fans he will get them refunded, even “from my own budget if they can’t,” noting that “this will never happen again.”
Already, people within the music industry were responding to Anthony’s Facebook post, offering a new venue for him to host the Tennessee show.
“Come see us at Silverados,” Jason Ward wrote. “It doesn’t get more family owned and operated than this. We hold 3,000, and you can set your ticket price to whatever you want. WNC is waiting.”
Anthony just arrived on the scene in 2022, garnering attention with the single “Aint Gotta Dollar.” However, he really became catapulted into the industry last month with the single “Rich Men North of Richmond.” Immediately, the track went viral and soared to No. 1 on the Billboard music charts. The song, which tackles issues from a working man’s prospective like politics and taxes, has been a hot-topic among both musicians and political commentators.
Over the past month, Anthony has received offers to produce his debut album, but he noted that although everyone seems to be “rushing” him to sign something, “we just want to take things slow right now.”
“People in the music industry give me blank stares when I brush off $8 million offers,” Anthony said. “I don’t want 6 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.”
Over the last 10 years, Anthony has worked in industrial manufacturing and said that he’s spent the last decade “hearing the same story,” where “people are so damn tired of being neglected, divided and manipulated.”
Anthony shared on Monday that he agreed on a good model moving forward with Joey Davis Music. Ticket prices for all upcoming shows will be $25, excluding two previously-booked gigs at Poppy Mountain and Louder Than Life. All meet and greets at the shows will be free, Joey Davis will play for an hour as an opener, and then an hour and a half will be performed together.
Recently, Anthony appeared alongside Shinedown and Papa Roach at Blue Ridge Rock Festival following its cancellation over the weekend. The group gathered to put-on a show outside for fans in the parking lot.
We love you all ❤️
Thank you for sticking around with us despite the rain and @BlueRidgeRock getting canceled!Thank you @TheBrentSmith from @Shinedown for pulling this idea together last minute for the fans and to @AintGottaDollar for joining us
🫶🏼🪳 pic.twitter.com/nehTCQiux4— Papa Roach (@paparoach) September 10, 2023
Find Anthony’s upcoming shows below.
Oliver Anthony Shows 2023
Sept. 14 — Morehead, KY | Poppy Mountain Music Festival
Sept. 21-22 — Louisville, KY | Louder Than Life
Oct. 6 — Paintsville, KY | Alley Fest
Oct. 7 — Mineral Point, CO | Appalachia Meets the Ozarks
