Paramore’s Hayley Williams Readies Her Grandfather’s Album For Release

Grand Man, Rusty's long-lost debut album, will arrive on Valentine's Day.

Paramore’s Hayley Williams Readies Her Grandfather’s Album For Release

Rusty Williams, the grandfather of Paramore‘s Hayley Williams, will release his debut album, Grand Man, on February 14. Williams’s bandmate, Zac Farro, will host the LP on his own label, Congrats Records. Before recording Grand Man in the 1970s, Rusty wrote jingles for local businesses. According to Hayley, her grandfather spoke often about the music but never showed it to her or her family. After being re-discovered by Rusty’s former production partner, Grand Man will finally see the light of day. “I don’t expect anything, and I’m too old to be famous,” Rusty said. “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.”

The announcement of Grand Man comes along with lead single “Knocking (At Your Door),” a waltzy, soulful singer-songwriter track plum full of horns and warm basslines. It calls to mind the treasures of Gerry Rafferty, doo-wop and even Billy Joel‘s more symphonic creations. It’s a blanket of suave, sophisticated pop music. Hayley said in a press release that “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.” Farro echoed her words, saying that he “thought that it was a crime that these songs were sitting there on the shelf.”

Listen to “Knocking (At Your Door)” below.

Grand Man Artwork:

Grand Man Tracklist:
Knocking (At Your Door)
Can’t Stay Away
Angel Eyes
Wanted
Fade Away
If Only For A While
Never Gonna Stop
Lovers Only Come And Go
Every Time I’m High
The Only Way For Me To Say I Love You
Riverboat Gambler
Someone Who Happened To Me
Take Me Around The World

 
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