Paramore's Hayley Williams on grandad’s lost music - Lives Less Ordinary podcast, BBC World Service

Key Concepts

• Intergenerational Musical Legacy: The profound influence of a grandparent's musical passion and teaching on a grandchild's career.
• Rediscovery of Lost Art: The unexpected emergence and public release of music recorded decades ago.
• Deferred Dreams and Vicarious Fulfillment: A musician's unfulfilled aspirations finding new life through a family member's success and, eventually, their own belated recognition.
• The Power of Support Systems: The critical role of family encouragement in nurturing artistic talent and enabling career paths.
• Authenticity in Songwriting: The value of simple, heartfelt lyrics, particularly in love songs, over complex or "cheesy" expressions.
• Music as a Community Endeavor: The idea that artistic creation and success are often collaborative and reliant on mutual belief and encouragement.
• Love Story as Inspiration: How a lifelong romantic relationship can serve as a deep wellspring for creative expression.

Introduction: A Family's Musical Tapestry

The episode of "Lives Less Ordinary" on the BBC World Service YouTube channel, hosted by Asya Fouks, features Grammy award-winning lead singer of Paramore, Hayley Williams, and her grandfather, Rusty Williams. The discussion centers on the rediscovery and release of Rusty's music, which had been hidden for decades, and the profound intergenerational musical connection between them.

The Rediscovery of Rusty Williams' Music

Hayley Williams recounts how her grandfather's "long lost album" was rediscovered. Growing up, she heard stories about Rusty and his friend Frank Morris's studio sessions, and she knew some of the songs. Eventually, she compiled all of his recorded material on her computer. While in an airport lounge, she played a song called "Knocking" for Zac Farro, her Paramore bandmate and a label owner. Zac immediately recognized the quality, exclaiming, "we gotta put this out! Like this is really, this is good." Hayley initially thought the music would only be shared among friends, but Zac "had a vision for it" and believed "people needed to hear it" because "it deserved to make it out off the shelves."

Rusty's Early Musical Journey and the "Rusty Williams Sound"

Rusty Williams shares his aspirations from the 1970s. He and Frank Morris spent approximately " '73 or '74 trying to make demos," aiming to sell music rather than record it themselves. They wrote "jingles for stores and banks and furniture stores" to earn money, but their true passion was writing original songs. Initially, Rusty "had visions of grandeur, maybe making it in the music business," but later found joy simply "having a good time doing it" with Frank.

He describes the "Rusty Williams sound" as "Fifties, Sixties and Seventies," "Soulful," and deeply influenced by "gospel music," explicitly stating it was "definitely not country." This distinction proved pivotal in his early career. Rusty recounts a specific instance where he sent a tape to Dan Wilson at Tree Publishing in Nashville. Wilson called him in, but asked, "Can you make them country?" Rusty firmly replied, "no, sir, I'm not country. Don't want to be country." Despite trying for "two or three months" with Frank, they couldn't adapt their sound, leading Rusty to conclude, "I'm done," and effectively end his pursuit of a professional music career at that time.

Hayley Williams' Musical Roots and Grandfather's Influence

Hayley credits her grandfather as her primary musical educator. Her earliest musical memories involve "sitting at the piano at their house and him showing me chopsticks or showing me a C chord." Rusty taught her about music, instilling a love for the "Motown sound," harmony, and "great vocalists." Hayley notes that her grandad "really instilled in me an appreciation for singers." She describes Rusty as having "a big vocal range," capable of singing "really high" and "down low," though now, due to cigarettes, he's "mostly a bass." He was her "resource within my family for music" because of his enduring love for it.

The Enduring Love Story of Rusty and Sharon

Many of Rusty's songs are heartfelt love songs dedicated to his wife, Sharon, whom he met when they were 12. He vividly recalls the moment he first truly "liked" her at a skating rink, where he was supposed to be lacing up another girl's skates but couldn't stop watching Sharon. He describes seeing her again later and being "knocked me out." Sharon confirms her love for the songs, though she playfully suggests "they're not all about me, he just says that." She describes Rusty as "good at writing love songs," "very emotional," and "pouring it all out in his words."

Their relationship is a testament to longevity, having been together for "65 years." Sharon recounts telling her mother at age 13 that she would marry Rusty, which she did at 18. They navigated their early relationship by attending "every church event" and school function to be together, eventually having "real dates" once Rusty got his driver's license at 15. Sharon acknowledges that their long marriage hasn't been "all lovey dovey and everything perfect," but emphasizes their enduring love.

Hayley's Career and Grandfather's Unwavering Support

After his own music career stalled, Rusty "had forgotten music" and instead channeled his aspirations into Hayley. He sold his car audio store, "Hi-Fi Cruising" (which he ran for "20, 25 years" with Hayley's father, Joey), when Hayley decided to pursue music seriously. Rusty recognized Hayley's talent early, recalling a park show when she was "10, 11 to whatever it is, year old," where she "can bring kids out of their chair." He famously told Sharon, "That's Elvis in a female body," convinced "there was no doubt that she was going to make it."

Hayley felt "never unsupported by grandad or my dad," even as a young girl in the South, feeling she "could be who I wanted, express myself, how I wanted to." She credits her grandad for "paved that he laid that foundation" of possibility. Her father even "drove our tour van" in Paramore's early days.

Despite this support, there were musical differences. Rusty famously declared, "rap sucks," and initially disliked Hayley's "rock music" and "punk hardcore music." He always encouraged her to write "ballads and some love songs," believing "people love that." Hayley humorously attributes this preference to a "Whitney Houston" mindset: "I only listen to singers. I rarely listen to anyone who cannot sing. And that is, there you go. That is grandad." However, he loved Paramore's song "Big Man Little Dignity" from their last record, which had a more "classic" sound. Hayley feels immense pride when she releases music that he "really actually listens to and loves," especially with strong vocals, even if her other music, where she needs to "get my anger out," doesn't always sound like "singing."

Rusty witnessed Paramore's meteoric rise, including attending a "big deal" show at Madison Square Garden, which was his first time in New York. A memorable moment occurred at Ellen's Stardust Diner, where a waitress sang Paramore's "The Only Exception" to them. Rusty and Sharon even followed Paramore on tour, putting "10,000 miles on one trip." They were scheduled to attend Taylor Swift's Eras Tour at Wembley but missed it due to Rusty's stroke, though they FaceTimed in.

The 'Grand Man' Album Release Celebration

To mark the release of Rusty's album, "Grand Man," Hayley organized a surprise party that doubled as an album release and joint birthday celebration for Rusty and Sharon. The event was held at the legendary RCA Studio B in Nashville, where Elvis Presley recorded. Hayley rented a classic car to pick them up. The party gathered friends, family, Zac Farro, and his label team. They listened to the entire album on vinyl, and Rusty described the feeling as "amazing" and "fulfilling," like "what I thought it should have been." Sharon found it "awesome." Rusty expressed his astonishment at the album's reception, noting, "we've got 500,000 listeners. I never dreamed it was going to have that." He added, "It's fulfilling to me to know that what we did wasn't totally wasted. And it would've been if it hadn't been for Hayley and Zac."

A Legacy of Music and Love

The story highlights a "beautiful circularity" where Rusty's early support for Hayley enabled her success, and Hayley, in turn, facilitated the release of his long-dormant music. Hayley views music as a "team sport" and a "community event," where people "pull things out of each other." The family's musical inclination runs deep, with Rusty's father, mother, son Joey, and Hayley all singing. Both Hayley and Rusty share matching "TCB" (Taking Care of Business, an Elvis Presley motto) tattoos, a nod to Rusty's lifelong admiration for Elvis.

Hayley expresses her deep appreciation for Rusty's music, particularly "Every Time I'm High," which she calls a "beautiful song." She admires his "true and simple" lyrics, especially in love songs, a style she finds challenging to achieve without sounding "cheesy." She feels his lyrics convey that "when you love someone, it's that simple," a simplicity she strives for in her own writing, admitting she tends to "complicate things too much." Rusty's favorite song is also "Every Time I'm High," and he clarifies it's about loving a person, not drugs, showcasing his impressive vocal range.

Conclusion

Rusty Williams, at 79 years old, finds profound fulfillment in seeing his music finally released and appreciated by "500,000 listeners," a dream he had long pushed aside. Hayley cherishes this moment, noting that it "takes attention off of me, which I like even more." She reflects on how much "good music is out there that we'll never get to discover" and feels "really proud" that her grandad's work is now recognized. The narrative underscores that "inspiration, it never stops cycling and kind of evolving," celebrating a unique family bond forged through a shared love of music and unwavering support.