Nine days ago, Oliver Anthony's gritty coal country ballad "was published on YouTube. The song has become the blue-collar political anthem for millions of Americans ahead of the 2024 presidential election cycle. 

On Thursday, Anthony revealed his real name is Christopher Anthony Lunsford. He said the viral response to the song blew him away and only anticipated it would get hundreds of thousands of views, not millions. As of Friday, the song ranks number one on iTunes. 

Lunsford is a former factory worker and lives in the forgotten part of the US, Appalachia, an area plagued with an opioid crisis and abandoned factories. The song tells the story of working-class folk who struggle daily while being ignored and mocked by political elites just north of Richmond. 

Lunsford detailed in a lengthy Facebook post that he turned down a $8 million deal from stunned music industry executives:

Since going viral nine days ago, he has received over 50,000 messages from people reacting to the song. He said some messages include stories about "Suicide, addiction, unemployment, anxiety and depression, hopelessness and the list goes on." 

Lunsford provided more details about who he exactly is... 

He concludes with: 

Meanwhile, the political left is triggered by this song for speaking the truth. And the country music industry is "confused by man actually from the country making actual music."

Country Music Industry Confused By Man Actually From Country Making Actual Musichttps://t.co/CWvjVCFt78

-- The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) August 14, 2023

Just remember this Ron Paul quote...