Nashville

On the season premiere, a torn Rayna must choose not just between two men, but two directions that her life could take. Juliette, struggling to repair her relationship with Avery, auditions for the leading role of a film biopic. Meanwhile, Scarlett, determined to start fresh, embarks on a road trip home and bonds with an unexpected stowaway, and Will and Layla manage the fallout from his on-camera confession.

After Will's debut album bumps Rayna's to second place, she's more determined than ever to make Highway 65 and her record a hit. In turn, she decides to pursue some new and unexpected opportunities for publicity, including a visit to "Good Morning America" where her friend Luke Bryan surprises her on stage. Layla becomes especially disgruntled about her fleeting career and pressures her husband Will, Edgehill Records' new number 1 artist, to help her rebuild it. Meanwhile, Juliette deals with some life-changing news and prepares for a big audition.

Rayna sets a wedding date which reverberates through the lives of those she loves. Juliette struggles to manage her secret which could prevent her from getting a career-defining movie role, and she meets the leading man who would play her love interest if she got the part. Luke's new back-up singer, Pam, makes her presence known, Gunnar gets a visit from his first love, Kiley, and Layla decides to wield her power over Will.

Rayna goes after Sadie Stone as a new artist to sign to her record label Highway 65. Juliette continues to try her best at hiding her pregnancy but when she starts to have stomach pains and mood swings, she has to let down her wall. Later, an assertive and sultry backup singer takes a liking to Deacon but his down in the dumps attitude does nothing but shut her out.

Juliette frets over hiding her pregnancy before filming a sex scene with movie star Noah West (Derek Hough). Rayna flies her kids to meet her on tour, but learns that her increased fame now that she's engaged to Luke is making Daphne feel entitled, while Maddie is simply miserable.

After a health scare, Juliette decides to ask Avery if he wants to be a part of her life as the baby's father. Then, Gunnar deals with some recent life changing news and seeks advice from Scarlett. Meanwhile, Rayna sweeps the nominations for the CMA Awards but is up against her fiance Luke for the most prized "Entertainer of the Year" category. Her glory is abruptly interrupted when she finds out Maddie and Daphne have been misbehaving back at home. While out on tour, Deacon finds his purpose in music thanks to the help of Pam, a backup singer in Luke's band and country music star Sara Evans guest stars as herself, performing "Put My Heart Down" with Luke. Later, Scarlett befriends an unlikely new friend.

Rayna's campaign to raise Highway 65's sales and profile finds her performing her latest single on "Dancing with the Stars." But when she agrees to be shadowed by a reporter all weekend for the cover of a magazine, just as Luke hopes to rekindle the romance, she realizes she may have pushed her public access too far. Juliette struggles to prepare for motherhood alone, and Will and Layla brace themselves for the premiere of their reality show.

It's country music's biggest night of the year at the 48th Annual CMA Awards in Nashville. Up for a total of 11 awards between them, Rayna and Luke's evening begins with an unfortunate hitch when Rayna stumbles upon Luke's pre-nuptial agreement documents, causing for some friction between them. Later, Avery's parents are in town for the show as Avery is nominated for a CMA Award. What should be a lovely reunion takes a turn when Avery introduces them to Juliette. Meanwhile, Gunnar and Zoey's relationship is tested and Deacon and Scarlett watch the awards from home.

Rayna continues to pull out all stops in self-promotion, this time by agreeing to do a televised Christmas special from her home for charity, with Luke and the children. But when she invites Deacon to join in, things get awkward fast. Her magazine cover story has reverberations for her personal life.

When Luke finally returns home after wrapping up his Moon or Shine Tour just days before he and Rayna tie the knot, Rayna starts to feel conflicted about leaving their kids to go out on the road again, especially after she discovers that Luke has been making parenting decisions without her. Meanwhile, Will invites Layla on tour in an effort to keep her close but when he sees her flirting with his boss at a party, he begins to feel like he's losing control of their situation. Then, Teddy uses his Mayoral powers to track down a recent flame and Sadie crosses paths with an unexpected ex.

Now that Rayna has cancelled their wedding, Luke is not going quietly, and Rayna's own daughters don't take the news well, either. Juliette and Avery adjust to married life with a few bumps along the way, and Gunnar fights for custody of Micah. Sadie tries to take control of her own problems with her ex by buying a gun, and Deacon gets dire news about his medical condition.

Rumors start to fly surrounding Rayna and Luke's breakup but Rayna's determined not to let them bring her down and finds a way to return to the public eye on her own terms. Juliette's pregnancy is starting to make her stir crazy and she's eager to get her career back on track, but at what cost? Then, Scarlett plans a surprise for Deacon, but it doesn't pan out as she had hoped. Later, Gunnar travels to Austin to mend fences with his estranged nephew and Teddy stops by Maddie and Daphne's recording session at school where he unexpectedly runs into Jeff.

Rayna is furious when she finds out Jeff Fordham's plans to sign Maddie to Edgehill. Luke enlists Gunnar in his efforts to forget his heartbreak, first by writing revenge songs, and then by carousing and they bring a cautious Will along for the bar hopping. Sadie is tormented by her stalker ex-husband and brings her expensive recording session with Avery to a standstill, jeopardizing his job. And Deacon's secrecy over his illness causes him to push Maddie away.

After Rayna forced Jeff's hand by revealing his indiscretions to the board members, Edgehill Republic begins to crumble along with Jeff's career. Later, Deacon considers a clinical trial he may be eligible for to receive alternative treatment. To cope with her stress, Scarlett turns to writing again and reconnects with Gunnar, who's doing the same.

Rayna's anniversary of her induction into the Grand Ole Opry is cause for celebration and guest starring cameos by country stars Vince Gill and Lorrie Morgan as themselves. Rayna reaches out to Deacon and her daughters to perform with her, prompting the girls' hopes of the couple reuniting romantically. Will is uncomfortable when he's paired with an out gay man to collaborate on songwriting.

Rayna refuses to let Deacon wallow in his condition, but her support only frustrates him and pushes him away. Meanwhile, Avery, Gunnar and Scarlett are opening for Rascal Flatts on tour, but, when her past public meltdown haunts her on social media, Scarlett becomes wary of performing again.

Juliette is excited about Rayna throwing her a star-studded baby shower, but when Rayna gets pulled into Sadie's drama instead of hosting, Juliette starts her own mama drama. Bucky and Luke Wheeler both are interested in signing rising singer/songwriter Ron Pope.

With the arrival of his former fiancee in Nashville, Jeff finds himself face-to-face with Jade St. John (played by Christina Aguilera). A powerhouse pop-star in Nashville on tour, Jeff is forced to revisit his past and work with the woman who once played a large role in both his personal and professional lives.

The brightest stars of Nashville have gathered in support of Teddy's music education initiative, "Note By Note," where Juliette plans her return to the spotlight, and Layla finds herself thrust into it, alongside Jade St. John. At the gala, Rayna, Deacon, Maddie and Daphne get ready to take the stage and perform, but before they can, Deacon receives the call he's been waiting for containing some life-changing news.

Rayna travels to Natchez, MS to try to help Deacon and we learn how her past with him affects his life-and-death struggle today. Jade invites Luke, Jeff and Layla to her beachfront bash in her home in Malibu which turns into an all-night rager.

Juliette is back in the news, and back to feeling like her old self, following her rooftop performance high above Highway 65, but while she enjoys the attention, her team has growing concerns that she may be suffering from postpartum depression.

In the season finale, Juliette is laser-focused on finishing her album, and when she puts everything and everyone she loves behind it, Avery makes a decision that impacts their lives forever. Deacon's life hangs in the balance, but Rayna and the girls are by his side.

Direct from Nashville's world famous Grand Ole Opry House, cast members of ABC's acclaimed primetime series "Nashville" will take the stage to perform songs from the show and provide candid interviews backstage. The featured cast scheduled to appear includes Clare Bowen, Chris Carmack, Will Chase, Charles Esten, Jonathan Jackson, Sam Palladio, Maisy Stella, Lennon Stella and Aubrey Peeples.