Paramore’s Hayley Williams Shares Heartwarming Story Behind Grandpa’s New Music

Hayley Williams has become a music legend as the frontwoman for Paramore.

The 36-year-old has topped the charts with her music over the last two decades, and now her grandfather is attempting to do the same.

On Instagram, Hayley promoted her “grandat” Rusty Williams‘ new music alongside a heartwarming story of what he’s meant to her.

“My grandparents have been together since they were 12,” Hayley began the post shared on February 20, “and they are the only people in my immediate family who’ve stayed together.”

“I have learned a lot about love from them— but I’m learning more than ever now, at 36, while watching them both experience Grandat putting his music into the world for the first time,” Hayley continued. “There is nothing better than seeing both of them light up over everyone’s reaction to these songs. These songs have stood the test of time, just like Granny & Grandat’s love.”

Alongside her note, Hayley shared a black-and-white image of her grandfather, taken by Paramore’s drummer, Zac Farro, who is also the founder of Congrats Records.

 “I thought that it was a crime that these songs were sitting there on the shelf,” Farro told Billboard in January of Rusty’s music.

His debut album Grand Man consists of 13 songs recorded by Rusty over 50 years ago.

Apple Music describes the album as “a set of lost AM Gold jams from Hayley Williams’ grandpa.”

In a separate Instagram post shared on February 13, Hayley wrote that Rusty’s album is “a time capsule of love songs and pure heart— written and recorded with his friend and collaborator Frank Morris from the early 1970’s through the early 80’s. [I] want to express my deep gratitude to everyone who played a part big or small in getting my Grandat’s music out and in the world.”

According to Billboard, now 78 years old, Rusty finally gets to share his work with the world after Morris rediscovered the lost record.

“So many people our age are mining these albums for tones and things you can’t even replicate,” Hayley said in a statement shared by Billboard. “And Grandad has a way of cutting to the core of a feeling, and not overcomplicating it. Which we tend to do, because the world is hard. It’s nice when you can hear something plain and simple and know that it is true.”

As for how Rusty feels about his music being shared with the world, he said he’s not expecting anything.

“I’m too old to be famous,” he told Billboard. “But I just want to know someone liked what I did, and to be touched by whatever the hell they are listening to. I want people to see how it felt when things were real.”

“You write stuff, and you want somebody to get something out of it,” he continued. “I just had to wait for a granddaughter and a band with her to really do anything with mine.”