Josh Farro

Co-founder and former lead guitarist of Paramore, now fronting his own band Farro.

Joshua Neil Farro (born September 29, 1987) is an American musician, best known as co-founder, former lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the rock band Paramore. Since leaving Paramore in 2010, he has pursued a solo career as the lead vocalist and guitarist of his self-named band Farro. His debut solo album, Walkways, was released in 2016.

Quick Facts

Birth name

Joshua Neil Farro

Born

29 September 1987

Birthplace

Voorhees Township, New Jersey, U.S.

Spouse

Jenna Rice (2010)

Genre

Alternative rock
pop-punk
pop rock
power pop
emo pop
emo

Occupation

Musician

Instruments

Guitar; vocals

Years active

2004–present

Lore & Background

Farro was born in Voorhees Township, New Jersey, on September 29, 1987, the second-oldest of five siblings, including Paramore drummer Zac Farro. He is a self-taught guitarist and began playing when he was 13 years old. His family later moved to Franklin, Tennessee. Along with his younger brother Zac, Farro was a founding member of Paramore, serving as the band's lead guitarist and backing vocalist from 2004 until his exit in late 2010. Farro was credited with co-writing almost every track on Paramore's first three albums. On December 21, 2010, a blog appeared online claiming to be an official exit statement from the Farro brothers. The blog entry refuted statements made by Paramore's official website regarding the brothers' departure and was heavily critical of Hayley Williams, her family, Atlantic Records, and Fueled by Ramen. Farro appeared in a video on YouTube claiming that the blog was genuine. The video was quickly removed for reported violations, but Farro re-uploaded it a few days later. In the 2010 blog post, Farro cited creative control, management issues, and dissatisfaction with the band's direction as the main reasons for departing Paramore.

Reader's Guide

Josh Farro's career spans multiple phases. From 2004 to 2010, he was co-founder, lead guitarist, and backing vocalist for Paramore, co-writing almost every track on their first three albums: All We Know Is Falling (2005), Riot! (2007), and Brand New Eyes (2009). His departure in late 2010 was marked by a controversial blog and YouTube video where he cited differing beliefs with Hayley Williams as a reason for leaving. In 2011, he formed Novel American, but scrapped the project in 2014 due to lack of a suitable vocalist. That same year, he launched his solo project Farro, releasing the single 'Color Rush' in November 2014 and his debut album Walkways independently on February 5, 2016. He announced writing for a second album in May 2017, but no release date has been given. In February 2026, he joined the contemporary Christian music collective Poets and Prophets, signed to Fair Trade Services, releasing their debut single 'Make Room' on March 13, 2026. He also co-wrote the song 'This Is Amazing Grace' with Jeremy Riddle and Phil Wickham, featured on Bethel Music's For the Sake of the World and Phil Wickham's The Ascension.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Josh Farro?

Joshua Neil Farro is an American musician best known for co-founding Paramore and serving as their lead guitarist from 2004 until 2010. He currently leads his own band called Farro, where he handles vocals and guitar duties.

What is Josh Farro's solo project?

Following his time with Paramore, he established a self-named band called Farro where he serves as the frontman. His debut album for this project, titled Walkways, was released to the public in 2016.