Jamey Johnson Could Not Be More Impressed With Oliver Anthony: “If Ever There Was Guy Called To Do What He Does, It’s Him”

Jamey Johnson recognized Oliver Anthony’s overwhelming talent almost immediately.

The great Jamey Johnson stopped by the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast to talk about his time in the Marines, listening to contemporary country music and how he enjoys artists like Morgan Wallen, working from the Cash cabin to create his new album Midnight Gasoline, how he wrote “What A View,” meeting his now-wife and proposing the second day he knew her, and much more.

We also talked to him a bit about being a mentor for many different artists in the industry, including Oliver Anthony. The Virginia native (whose real name is Christopher Anthony Lunsford) burst onto the scene in August 2023 when a video of his song “Rich Men North of Richmond” posted by Radio WV went mega-viral, racking up 50 million views in just three weeks.

Not long after that, Anthony found himself navigating through the choppy waters of the music industry, and one person that acted as a lighthouse for the artist that was suddenly one of the biggest in the world was Jamey Johnson. Since that initial connection, they’ve continued to work together and have become good friends. The “In Color” singer has even had Anthony out to the Cash Cabin on multiple occasions – where Johnson crafted his most recent album.

Through it all, Johnson says that his impression of Oliver Anthony is almost otherworldly. The longtime singer and songwriter is blown away by the presence and professionalism that Anthony brings to the table, as he explained:

“He’s on a different plane altogether. He’s bigger than life… really. If ever there was a guy called to do what he does, it’s him. He’s so good at it. He writes from a pure place. Without being virtuous, (being) one of those guys that wants to flap their virtues all over you all the time, he just does the best he can. And he also acknowledges his failures, which is a very human thing to hear. The way he puts all of that together in his songs is brilliant.”

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“He’s on a different plane all together.” // Check out the newest Whiskey Riff Raff podcast with Jamey Johnson available now on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube. #whiskeyriff @JameyJohnsonOfficial @Oliver Anthony #whiskeyriffraff

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Woah… that’s high praise coming from Jamey Johnson.

Johnson also shared some details about the conversations that he and Anthony have had. Whether it be the Nashville machine, or just songwriting in general, both have been able to bring their own observations to the table. And Jamey Johnson will never forget the moment he – and the rest of the world – found out about the “Rich Men North of Richmond” singer:

“We’ve talked about all kinds of things. When I first met him, he had just climbed out of the woods and released a song. It was five or six times in a row, my friends sent me the same video. And I got it from hundreds more after that, people just making sure, ‘Have you seen this guy?’

He got the entire country’s – in fact, the entire world’s – attention, and it was just overnight. He didn’t even have to come to Nashville. He just went in the woods line with a cellphone, and came out a national hero.”

To hear more on Johnson’s relationship with Oliver Anthony, as well as many other up-and-coming artists, make sure to download the podcast on Apple Podcasts by searching “Whiskey Riff Raff” or click here.

We’re also available on Spotify and wherever else you can listen to podcasts.

Cheers, y’all.

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