- 2026-01-19
-
MUSIC
-
Hayley Williams Covers Her Grandfather Rusty Williams' Song “Friends Or Lovers”
American rock band Paramore's Hayley Williams released a cover of her grandfather Rusty Williams' song “Friends Or Lovers” on January 16, 2026.
The song is featured on the deluxe edition of his debut album “Grand Man”, which was released on January 16, 2026 via Congrats Records, the Nashville-based indie label founded by Paramore's Zac Farro.
The track features Hayley Williams on vocals and synthesizer, Brittany Howard on flute and 12-string guitar, Zac Farro on drums, and Brian Robert Jones on guitar, bass and piano.
It was written by Rusty Williams. Produced by Zac Farro and Daniel James.
The deluxe edition of the album comprises 16 tracks, including original 13 songs, two unreleased songs, and Hayley's cover of “Friends or Lovers”. The deluxe edition was released exclusively on vinyl last November. This time, the album was released digitally.
The debut album “Grand Man” was recorded by Rusty Williams with his friend and producer Frank Morris in the 1970s, featuring 13 tracks.
Last February, Hayley Williams, Zac Farro, and Taylor York released the album through their own label Congrats Records.
Rusty Williams said, “You write stuff, and you want somebody to get something out of it. I just had to wait for a granddaughter and a band with her to really do anything with mine.”- Zac Farro said of the album, “I thought that it was a crime that these songs were sitting there on the shelf.”
Hayley Williams continued, “So many people our age are mining these albums for tones and things you can't even replicate. And Grandat 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.”
Rusty Williams added, “I don't expect anything, and I'm too old to be famous. 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.” -
Photo by Zac Farro - source : Apple Music
