HOPEWELL — Christopher Anthony Lunsford, known as Oliver Anthony in the music world, performed a gospel concert at the historic Beacon Theatre to help people in need. The historic stage was also graced by local musicians Joey Davis of Hopewell and Caleb Dillard of Colonial Heights as well as multi-instrumentalist Billy Contreras of Nashville, Tennessee.
Beacon Hill Church, founded in 2016 by Pastor Michael Moore and his wife Kim, has served around 400 free meals to the community every Friday for the past four years. The proceeds from the Easter concert tickets which ranged in price from $25-$35 were donated to the food outreach program.
"I'm very grateful to get to know Chris as a person and his passion and desire to make an impact on the community. Every dollar donated to Beacon Hill Church helps feed individuals, get them off the streets and into rehab programs if necessary," Pastor Moore said. "The musicians' generosity is a blessing. We're all trying to work together for the benefit of Hopewell. We just happen to be the ones to bring people together."
"Pastor Michael Moore is a great man who helps the homeless and anyone who needs help. The council members do not come out to see all that Pastor Mike does. Bless you Oliver Anthony," Jeannie Powell Smith commented on Facebook.
"The Oliver Anthony Music concert was the fastest sell-out in Beacon Theatre history. With no advance announcement that the show was even going on sale, the tickets sold out in just under six hours," Laurin Willis, co-general manager of the Beacon Theatre, said. According to Willis's wife Susie, the other co-general manager, the Beacon Theatre has 669 seats.
Susan Steward of Petersburg and her friends were near the front of the line prior to the doors opening at 6 p.m. The March 31 concert was her first live Oliver Anthony concert. She has been a fan ever since she saw his "Rich Men North of Richmond" video on social media last summer which has been streamed more than 77 million times on YouTube and more than 115 million across streaming platforms.
"He seems to be in touch with what's happening in the everyday, all-American life right now and what we're all feeling," Steward said. Thank you Susan for sharing a ticket with me.
"I've been a fan of Anthony's for about six months. The local guy basically exploded over night. Before you knew it, he was kicking Taylor Swift off the charts," Dennis Thacker of Hanover said.
"Everything this guy does is great," Randy Sealey of Hopewell said. "How can you not love him?"
Debbie Crowder of Sutherland shared with me how she is blessed to listen to Chris jam in Glenn and Sandy Henshaw's garage in Dinwiddie. Glenn swiped through numerous images on his phone to show me Anthony performing for his friends.
"He's a very good man and deserves everything," Sandy said. "Glenn would tell him to keep it up because he's going places."
Dillard, Davis and Contreras left the stage after they entertained the energetic audience. Then, Anthony appeared with his three dogs Rufus, Hooch and Sasha. "It's nice being home for a show. I can bring them along," he said.
On Easter morning, Anthony attended Beacon Hill Church's service at the Beacon Theatre. He shared with the crowd how it had been his first time to church in 10 years. "I kind of had religion shoved down my throat as a kid. I just didn't like the politics and the theatrics at a lot of churches. They just kind of turned me off to it. I cut God out of my life for a long time. It was good to be back in a real church."
Before he sang the opening song "Amazing Grace," he recited Psalm 37: 1-20 from his Bible. An enlarged family portrait of the American, country-folk singer-songwriter's served as a backdrop. In the keepsake image, his late grandfather Oliver Anthony is the youngest boy wearing bib overalls.
After Anthony sang his song "Momma's Been Hurting," he invited the audience to join him in the lobby for a meet and greet, pictures and autographs. "I'll stay here as late as y'all are willing to stay. I'll meet every one of you, if possible."
As I walked out of the theater, I overheard four-year-old Lily of Powhatan say, "I can't believe Oliver Anthony had his dogs with him." Lily was impressed at how well the canines behaved.
Oliver Anthony concert live stream: Beacon Theatre
Watch Anthony's live stream March 31 event on YouTube which has had over 91, 634 views. He sings traditional hymns and songs from his first album “Hymnal of a Troubled Man’s Mind." Released on Easter, it represents the story of his life from 2013 until 2023.
"This album represents the most pure and transparent view inside my heart and soul that I could offer. While Richmond was the song that got my name out in the public, these songs represent the true foundation of the music that got me through life up until now," Anthony stated on Facebook. Anthony's debut album is for all individuals including the broken, downtrodden, abused, alcoholic, drug addict and thief.
"He brought his dogs with him! As if I didn't love this dude enough, HE BRINGS HIS DOGS!!!!!," @kerrykelly9591 commented on Oliver Anthony Music's YouTube video. "Yeah, he's for real. It takes a real man to do that," @genemcnabb9389 responded.
"The Ms and I were blessed to be there with 600 other fans. What a great show. He and his bandmates met and took pictures with anyone that wanted to meet him. They were extremely nice. Told Chris we had a German Shepherd too. He wanted to see a picture of him. Let me say this, I am six foot tall and Chris made me look like a kid standing beside him. He is football-big," @Enfield-1853 commented. "Told him he was going to be the biggest folk singer of his generation. Seemed surprised. He should not be. Just has to keep his feet on the ground and work through everything headed his way."
"Just saw where you were coming to the Beacon. It is a very nice, cozy venue. Glad to see the event is sold out. My wife and I would love to have come to see you," Fred Ridgway commented on Facebook. "Thanks for keeping it true in a nation that is in decline. I’m 72 years old, and you are one of the few young inspirations I see today."
As he recorded his first album in an old church in Georgia on January 8, Anthony who stated in a Facebook post that he doesn't cry often, cried that week. "This is such an incredible opportunity. I have been so blessed to be given the chance to share my music with the world. I pray that these songs will help people get through the hard days to come. I love y'all. I won't let you down."
Anthony's 2024 "Out of the Woods" concert tour kicked off in Sweden in February. The final stop, at this point, is on October 6 in Salt Lake City, Utah. On May 17, he will perform in Doswell, Virginia at Meadow Event Park at the SERVPRO Pavilion. If you would like to join the waiting list for tickets, visit oliveranthonymusic.com . Follow Caleb Dillard @CalebDillardMusic, @JoeyDavisMusic and @OliverAnthonyMusic on Facebook.
For the Beacon's full schedule of shows visit thebeacontheatreva.com , call (804) 446-3457, or visit the box office located at 401 N. Main Street in Hopewell Mon. - Fri. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Read this story at progress-index.com to view a 30-plus image gallery of Anthony's Easter benefit concert.
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Kristi K. Higgins aka The Social Butterfly, an award-winning columnist, is the trending topics and food Q&A reporter at The Progress-Index voted the 2022 Tri-Cities Best of the Best Social Media Personality. Have a news tip on local trends or businesses? Contact Kristi (she, her) at khiggins@progress-index.com, follow @KHiggins_PI on X and @socialbutterflykristi on Instagram.
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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Hopewell: Oliver Anthony's benefit concert at Beacon Theatre, view 30-plus images
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