Hayward also joined with friends in some small acting roles on television, which included an episode of F Troop.

Before he joined Little Feat he was a member of the groups The Fraternity of Man, and then The Factory, which was where he met the frontman of the band, Lowell George.

The Factory portrayed an anachronistic Beatlesque band, the Bedbugs, on the February 9, 1967, episode[3] of the sitcom F Troop.

[4] In addition to his work with Little Feat, Hayward recorded and performed with many other artists including: Joan Armatrading, Delaney Bramlett, Kim Carnes, Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder, James Cotton, The Doobie Brothers, Bob Dylan, Peter Frampton, Buddy Guy, Arlo Guthrie, Al Kooper, Jonny Lang, Barbra Streisand, Eric Lynn, Nils Lofgren, Taj Mahal, Coco Montoya, Robert Palmer, Van Dyke Parks, Robert Plant, Paul Rodgers, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Seger, Carly Simon, Nancy Sinatra, Stephen Stills, Tom Waits, John Cale, Warren Zevon, Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, and Helen Watson.

Hayward's talents were also utilized when he appeared as a member of another group in the 1978 film The Buddy Holly Story.