An investigation shines unwelcome light on Rayna's past with Deacon.

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's publicist sets her up with a squeaky clean rookie football player named Sean to repair her image and Juliette dislikes him sight unseen. Rayna wants a new producer and a new sound for her new song. She picks Liam, a rock 'n roller who doesn't want to work with Rayna and who the label doesn't want. Avery's band gets some interest from two promoters, but one (Marilyn) makes it clear her interest isn't just business and comes with a price.

Rayna and Juliette are forced to work together for an upcoming event. Juliette's relationship with Sean hits a bump in the road. Scarlett goes out for a night on the town with Gunnar and his girlfriend with the hopes of cheering herself up.

Deacon finally accepts Juliette's offer to tour with her, and Rayna's not happy about it. Liam wants Rayna to change labels, neglecting to mention he has a side deal. Rayna fires him and hires a woman guitar player. Rayna gets her own label and wants to sign Scarlett and Gunnar. Rayna struggles with being on the road with Deacon, and finally texts him to come up to her room. When she opens the door, it's Teddy who came to tell Rayna he wants a divorce. Juliette slips a ballad that she and Deacon wrote into the show and the crowd response is OK, but Glen has a fit. The song ends up online and is popular. Scarlett is having trouble making rent and Gunnar hates his roommates, so they agree to move in together platonically. Avery has a camera follow-along interview and takes them by Scarlett's house. That evening Gunnar and Avery get into a fist-fight.

Rayna and Teddy disagree about how to handle the divorce right before Rayna steps on stage. Rayna is overwhelmed and for the first time in 20 years, she misses her cue. Scarlett gets a call that Rayna wants to sign her and Gunnar to her own label. Scarlett finds out Gunnar's brother is in town in violation of his parole. She refuses to let him stay with them pointing out it's harboring a fugitive, but later changes her mind. Avery is not happy with the way Dominic is changing his music. Glenn is not happy with the way Juliette is changing her music. Glenn tells the crew to run all Juliette's changes past him and he'll handle it, but when Juliette finds out she calls everyone including Glenn to a middle-of-the-night meeting to say it's her way or the highway. Glenn quits. Rayna goes out drinking with Liam. Rayna's oldest daughter overhears Teddy on the phone with Peggy and tells Rayna.

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.

The accident leaves Rayna in a coma. Deacon takes the blame for the accident and is sent to jail, but a fierce lawyer is set to find out the truth. Juliette decides to make the best out of the situation for herself. Gunnar moves together with Will while Scarlett prepares for her record deal.

Edgehill's new chief is determined to put the label back on top.

Teddy proposes to Peggy and tries to keep it a secret.

Rayna wants to obtain the rights to her music.

Rayna sets the record straight during an interview with Robin Roberts; Juliette runs into Charlie Wentworth; Scarlett turns to Avery for advice on the changes to her life.

Maddie feels lost as Teddy and Peggy's wedding day approaches; Juliette angers a lecherous but influential DJ; Deacon discovers an unexpected ally as he tries to find his way back to music.

Deacon confronts Rayna about putting too much pressure on Scarlett; Jeff battles Rayna for control of the album she made with Liam; Gunnar struggles as he attempts to write a song for a major artist.

When Maddie wants to spend time with Deacon, Teddy starts to feel he's being replaced; Lamar asks Rayna to get Tandy to commit to being a character witness; Juliette worries about Layla's career stealing her spotlight.

Scarlett's career is on a hot streak as she performs with Zac Brown; Rayna asks Deacon for help writing a hit for her new album; Jeff is furious when concert venues keep dropping from Juliette's tour.

Juliette's new song catches a high-powered producer's ear; Rayna takes control in the aftermath of recent events; Scarlett confides in Liam.

Juliette has a design on how she would like to announce her new deal with Highway 65, however, Rayna has a calculated roll out plan in mind. Juliette's emotions get the best of her at a label party when she starts to feel that she is being upstaged by Rayna's up-and-coming talent. Will offers Deacon an opportunity of a lifetime though he finds the excitement short-lived after noticing Megan's strange behavior. Teddy is at odds with Maddie when he finds out she is fixated with her music, and Will is concerned about his past catching up with him so he makes Layla an offer she can't refuse.