Rayna, an aging country music star, is upset when her record company asks her to tour as the opening act to a new up-and-coming singer named Juliette.

Juliette's mother shows up. Juliette calls Deacon to the studio to record the song they wrote (Undermine) in another attempt to sign him to her band. Rayna's girls perform in their school talent show. Rayna discovers information about her mother that gives her new perspective on her father, but they are still feuding. Scarlett and Gunnar go into the studio to record their demo, but things do not go smoothly.

Juliette is served for shoplifting, her PR agent sets her up with an interview on GMA to do damage control. Juliette blows it and the record label cancels her concert tour. Rayna agrees to help Teddy's campaign by playing a fund-raiser at the country club. Deacon gets into it with both Teddy and Rayna's father (Lamar). Rayna fires Deacon. Scarlett and Gunnar get a publishing deal with a record company.

Deacon offers to help talk Juliette's mother into rehab. Rayna says no to a Greatest Hits album again. Rayna is recording one of her and Deacon's songs for a commercial, it was altered and Deacon won't sign off on the change. Teddy and Coleman debate the baseball stadium. Teddy meets with Peggy and we learn it's not an affair they are hiding, it's a crime. Scarlett and Gunnar get an audition for one of their songs. When they need another guitarist Avery steps in, but he gets jealous and takes over the song by playing a flashy lead.

Juliette and Sean elope. Sean wants them to tell Juliette's mom on family day at rehab, but Juliette talks him into letting her go alone. Juliette and her mom continue to argue. Lamar uses Rayna's daughter to threaten her, and Teddy tells him to back off. Deacon is on the road with the new band and avoiding an interview, but not the attractive reporter. Avery tells his band that he made a solo deal. Scarlett agrees to be their lead singer in Avery's absence.

The label throws a party to celebrate the success of "Wrong Song" and Rayna is courted by another label. Juliette is unhappy with her mother's attendance and behavior at the party. Deacon holes up at home and battles his addiction. When Juliette finds him, he asks how she can have so much concern for him and none for her mother when they are fighting the same battle. Scarlett asks Gunnar to consider playing with Avery's old band. Avery ignores Marilyn's advice on negotiating his contract for a better deal and signs the first offer.

Deacon hates parties and watches Old Yeller every birthday, so naturally Juliette plans a surprise party for him. Rayna tells Teddy their daughter knows about Peggy, and Rayna will not cover for him like she did with the press. Despite filing in another county, the divorce is all over the tabloids and the paparazzi are all over Rayna and her girls. A crisis manager tells Rayna not to be seen in public with any man but her dad, but Rayna defiantly has Watty take her to Deacon's party. Rayna wrote a special song and Juliette says cattily that she's going to sing for Deacon, only she has to leave when her mother gets drunk. Teddy appoints Coleman as Deputy Mayor, infuriating Rayna's dad Lamar. Avery is in the studio and tells Dominic the music isn't right, but doesn't realize Dominic's responses are recorded. . . he isn't even there. Gunnar finds a gun in his brother's bag and Scarlett hits the roof. Scarlett gets Deacon to the party (attended by music celebs) on the pretext of finally hearing her and Gunnar sing. Two detectives pick Gunnar up at the party. Juliette gives Deacon an old yeller (yellow) dog.

Gunnar is blaming himself for his brother's death, and sleeping with Scarlett didn't help. Scarlett turns to Deacon when Gunnar goes after the killers. When Gunnar doesn't show for their label audition, Scarlett has to play solo. Deacon is at his wit's end dealing with the puppy, so he takes it to the vet (Stacy) and promptly starts dating her. Dominic tells Avery that he owns him, and Avery will play what and how Dominic wants. Avery torches all the master tapes of the music, signs a publishing contract, and gives Dominic a cheque telling him to take a hike. Rayna's crisis manager books her on the Katie Couric show. Rayna deals with (Maddie) her eldest daughter's disrespect, and ends up giving Maddie the first guitar she ever played to help her deal with her feelings. Juliette tweets her small concert location and six people get hurt in the mob that shows up, including Maddie. Juliette continues dodging her mother's counselling sessions until she overhears one.

Everyone is in New York for the concert. Maddie tells Rayna she wants to be a singer and Rayna's not happy. Juliette invites Daphne and Maddie to party with her after the show, but Rayna says no. Juliette asks her mother's therapist (Dante) for business advice and lands a multi-million dollar deal with a company. Juliette and Dante sleep together. Avery loses his publishing contract and gets a job as a roadie for Juliette's band. Stacy asks Deacon if he is trying to sabotage them by bringing her on tour with two of his ex-girlfriends. Scarlett's new upstairs neighbor, Will, is a singer who got Scarlett's mail with her contract "by mistake". Scarlett says she's not signing the contract and Gunnar tells her Avery was the jealous one who couldn't take her success, sign. Lamar finds out Peggy leaked the story about Teddy and Rayna's divorce and blackmails her into changing Teddy's mind about the stadium. Lamar collapses at home.

Juliette and Dante are still in bed when Rayna knocks on the door to say she has to go back to Nashville for a family emergency, and may have to cancel that night. Later Avery is searching for equipment, sees Dante in bed with Juliette, and Dante fires him. Deacon gives Stacy a key to his place and plans to quit the road, then hears about Lamar. Deacon challenges Juliette about Dante and she storms off. Deacon confronts Dante and says until he hears from Juliette, Dante can't fire Avery. Jolene accuses Juliette of stealing Dante from her and realizes they're sleeping together. At the hospital, Rayna and her sister see Lamar who is less than appreciative. Watty comes to the hospital, Lamar has a fit and ends up in surgery. Rayna realizes Watty is the musician her mother was seeing, and hears her mother was leaving Lamar the night she died. Tandy finds the connection between Lamar and Peggy. Scarlett tells Gunnar he's still having nightmares. She wants Gunnar to write with her, but he says he can't. Will gets closer to Scarlett and Gunnar; he and Gunnar play chicken with a train.

Juliette and Dante go house hunting. Jolene says she saw Dante kissing the realtor (Esme) who tells Juliette they're just old friends. Dante "finds" Jolene's pills, but Juliette later realizes they're not hers. Deacon and Juliette butt heads and when Dante gives him instructions, Deacon gives notice he's leaving after this leg of the tour. Deacon tells Stacy he quit, but then they go to Rayna's concert where Stacy calls him on his feelings and walks out. Rayna and Liam kiss, he asks her to go away with him. Rayna tells Lamar she never knew about her mother's affair and they agree to make a new start. Teddy confronts Peggy about leaking the divorce and says it's over. Will gives Gunnar stage tips but then tries to kiss him. Gunnar sings his brother's song and gets a producer's interest, but says he wrote it. Scarlett gets Gunnar another shot with Rayna but he tells Scarlett he wants to keep singing solo.

Rayna and Deacon are back together. Juliette finds out Dante's embezzlement was just a start. Rayna and Juliette are both nominated for the same CMA award and the label throws them a party where Juliette gets smashed. Right before stage time Juliette lays into Deacon who quits on the spot, so Avery steps in. Teddy asks Maddie to let him take her to the Father-Daughter dance, and Rayna tells him about her and Deacon. Coleman hears more about Teddy's past and quits. Gunnar records his brother's song, but the producer isn't interested in his own work. Gunnar offers more of Jason's songs, and Scarlett learns the truth. Will takes Scarlett to the label party and uses it to get Rayna his demo.

Dante sends Juliette a blackmail demand. Juliette asks Avery to help with her new song. Gunnar goes on a radio show; Scarlett doesn't like what he says and gives him a piece of her mind. Will uses information from Scarlett to crash Rayna's auditions. Will and Gunnar get in a bar fight and Gunnar misses Scarlett's debut at the Grand Ol' Opry, but Avery makes it. Scarlett tells Gunnar she can't be with him the way he is now. Rayna has Deacon over for dinner with the girls and Teddy objects. He serves Rayna a restraining order and Rayna seeks Lamar's advice. Tandy goes to the board of Lamar's company over the leadership. Maddie goes through Rayna'a papers and finds the family secret. Dante changes his demands. Jolene buys drugs and contacts Dante.

Rayna tells the girls she's dating Deacon. Deacon gives Juliette his condolences on Jolene's death and she blasts him. Maddie tells Deacon she thinks he may be her father. The US Attorney's office notifies Teddy they're investigating the Cumberland deal. When Teddy contacts Peggy he hears surprising news. Scarlett and Avery meet for a meal. Gunnar brings flowers home and tells Scarlett he came clean about the music to the producer. Scarlett says flowers won't fix what's wrong and leaves to go hear Avery play. At the CMA awards, Juliette lashes out backstage and is horrified by what she said. She leaves. Deacon confronts Rayna backstage about Maddie's parentage, they argue, and he winds up in a bar. Rayna goes home where she and Teddy try to calm a hysterical Maddie. The morning of the funeral Glen brings Juliette her award. Rayna comforts Juliette at the funeral. Juliette arrives home where the mail includes a letter from Jolene. Tandy quits her job. Gunnar proposes to Scarlett. Rayna flips the car with her and Deacon inside.

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.

Juliet's first appearance since her plane crash brings on a bout of anxiety. Bucky and Zach are still at odds on the direction of Highway 65.

Darius helps Juliette remember a dark secret. Daphne and Jake bound over their mutual dislike of their parents dating. Scarlett volunteers at a horse therapy ranch.