- 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.
- "Nashville" - "You're Lookin' At Country' - Nov. 19, 2014
It's country's music's biggest night, the CMA awards, and everyone is getting ready to head to the Bridgestone Arena for the show.
Luke and Rayna (and Sadie)
Rayna and Luke are ribbing each other about their multiple nominations. She's got 6 and he's got 5. She's nervous because it's a big night for her new label. While they are looking for his speeches Rayna stumbles on Luke's pre-nup. He says he figured it was a given but doesn't want to talk about it on their big night.
On the limo ride over Rayna brings it up and says she's fine with it, but clearly isn't. They decide anything they earn from this point on they will share 50/50 and then hit the red carpet.
They are asked about being both a power couple and competitors. He says it's a win-win since the bling will go to their shared home. And she says if she wins that the trophies might live at her record label offices. Sadie arrives and Rayna talks her up to the press. Sadie is asked if she's there with anyone special and she says she barely had time to pick out a dress let alone a date. Then she gets a text message from someone named Pete.
As the first award is announced by the Band Perry Rayna and Luke say if one of them wins, they both win and won't let their dust up ruin their night. Rayna wins and thanks Deacon for co-writing the song. Luke offers a tight smile. We then see her win Album of the Year and she thanks Liam McGuinness and we get another tight smile from Luke.
He heads to the bar for a drink and runs into the pensive Sadie. He asks how she's doing and she says he doesn't want to know. He says he could use the distraction. She says her ex texted and she doesn't know how he got the number. He wished her luck and asked for his cut since the song is about him. Luke tells her not to let that joker ruin her night because if she's there, she deserves it.
He returns to his seat feeling warmer and it's time for the Musical Event of the Year award and Luke and Rayna win it. (Which is also a win for Gunnar who wrote it.) Luke shouts him out and in his speech and how well Rayna is doing tonight and barely lets her talk. Offstage he says he figured she needed a break from thanking people.
Sadie performs and Luke and Rayna watch from opposite sides of the wings.. She smiles at him. He seems super grumpy. Rayna has now won five awards.
She confronts him in the men's room and wonders why he's mad. Because of the pre-nup? Because she's winning? He says she knows what it's about, that she thanked Deacon in her speech and she's here with him. She knows she is there with him. He says it isn't very gracious because the only reason her album went gold is because he proposed to her on the day she released it. That is just about enough for Rayna, who, aghast and hurt, leaves the men's room. He kicks a stall door.
Rayna now presents the award for Male Vocalist of the Year. He wins. The seat filler notes that she loves Rayna. He jokes in his speech that this is one that she couldn't win over him. He thanks her, his kids and gets offstage.
Backstage in the pressroom, a reporter asks if Luke is feeling like Mr. Rayna James. He is gracious.
Trisha Yearwood presents Entertainer of the Year award to Rayna James, who is six for six in her awards sweep. Luke kisses her but doesn't look happy. (Teddy shows up in the wings just in time to see her win.) Sadie cheers her on. Deacon and Scarlett give her a standing O at home.
Rayna dedicates the award to her girls who says they will be up there someday. She also shouts out Sadie and Juliette. And she says she shares this with him; "what's mine is yours.' Luke tears up at this. She says to all the men that women are never trying to take anything away from them, and there's plenty of sunshine for all.
Back at the Wheeler-James residence Luke apologizes for his behavior and being a jackass and drinking and his ego got the best of him. He says she deserved all her awards and one for putting up with him. She says they will never compete like that in real life and she wants to go through the wins and losses together and supporting each other. She says that's why she was bugged by the pre-nup, she wants to feel like they're in it together. He says they are and starts kissing her. But since he smells like the bottom of whiskey barrel she sends him to shower before they get frisky.
He goes to shower and smiles at a congratulatory text she gets from Deacon.
Juliette and Avery
Meanwhile, Juliette is nervous about both the awards and meeting Avery's parents. She's also reminded of her mother's suicide on the day of last year's CMAs.
When she arrives at the red carpet she is asked to stay back for a little bit because they're backed up. She flashes back to her mother telling her as a little girl to stay back while one of her menacing boyfriend's lurks about. She jumps ot of the car to meet Avery's parents and they skip red carpet. They go and find their seats in the arena and she heads to the arena. Mom thinks she's really sweet and pretty.
Avery has a prickly conversation with his dad, over his mother in the middle, about Juliette and Dad Barkley says he doesn't know her or understand the relationship so he has no opinion of her and he says he and Juliette have no right to be raising a child, and asks if he even has a job. Avery points out he's a sound engineer, a songwriter, and a producer and hey, this awards show they're at? He's nominated for one. His father scoffs at this saying he is only nominated because Juliette threw him a bone, they didn't raise him this way and from what he's read Juliette wasn't raised at all. She overhears this last part and flashes back to another time her mother abandoned her for a man, this time saddling her with the man's 8-year-old kid. So she did what was done to her, put on sexy clothes and locked the little girl in her room. Avery and his parents see that she heard them. She walks off and Avery doesn't go after her.
Juliette and Rayna hug backstage in the VIP area. Rayna asks after her, she says she's like a birthday candle that you can't blow out. Rayna says she has her fingers crossed for her and Avery. Avery comes backstage and apologizes for his dad's remarks. Juliette wonders if he isn't right and she has no business being a mother since her own role model was terrible. Avery says by that logic he would be a judgmental, unforgiving, jackass just like his dad. They both have an epiphany --since that's what he is-- and she says she has to go present an award.
She goes out to give out the New Artist of the Year and Sadie wins it, beating out Will in the process. She is thrilled, he is, understandably sad. She gives a sweet speech about her parents and role models--including Rayna-- and this clearly stings for Juliette. She says she hopes one day she will find the kind of love that Luke and Rayna share. Luke heads to the men's room.
Back in the audience Avery confronts his dad and says he has a plan and his plan is to love his child even when he doesn't understand his choices and says Juliette will be a great mom. He turns to her, takes her hand and promises that they won't be like their parents.
Avery points out that, for all her faults, Juliette's mother did love her. And Juliette rubs her belly and says she will love "her" too and reveals the gender to Avery. She had to peek.
Avery drops off Juliette and he's about to skedaddle when she asks him to unzip her dress. And bing bang boom, nothing. It seems like a moment but he says good night. But she knows that he's coming around.
Will and Layla
Will and Layla are feeling differently. He's excited to be nominated, she's embarrassed to be going on a huge broadcast after her humiliating reality show debut. She wonders if his parents will watch. He doubts it and then gives them both a pep talk about how they deserve to be there.
They hit the red carpet and Will is full of excitement. Layla not so much, correcting one interviewer's use of the word irony. Will saves it with a shout out to Texas.
Will and Layla hit the stage to perform their song. They both look beautiful. The crowd seems to be enjoying them. Gunnar and Zoey look on approvingly.
Will and Layla come out to present to song of the year award and the writers have written embarrassing reality show jokes for them. She gets mad, and goes off to script to tell the crowd that she deferred Harvard.
Post-awards, Layla tortures herself by watching an instant parody video someone made of her speech. He tries to console her saying no one gives a damn about the real them. She asks him to hold her. He does.
Gunnar/Zoey
In the Gunnar-Zoey-Mycah household they are prepping when Mycah asks which song Gunnar is nominated for. He says "Ball and Chain." When asked to define this phrase, ray of sunshine Zoey pops in to say, "It's when you're stuck with somebody." Mycah thinks it's like how his mom is stuck with him. Gunnar downplays this idea and then showers Zoey with praise and kisses and says he's lucky to have her. She asks if he's talked to Mycah's grandparents yet but no word from them in Texas. She is not happy. He says he knows it's been stressful but hopes she's had fun too.
During Will and Layla's duet Zoey notes that Luke is a real sex symbol to the crowd. Gunnar says yes, this is funny, and then gets a call from Mycah's parents and slips out.
During a break in the show, Zoey is pointing out all the big stars and execs in the room to Mycah when Jeff Fordham approaches. He wants to talk Zoey about her future with the company. He says he's heard that she's better than Juliette and he asks for her demos. Gunnar tries to pull her aside and she's annoyed. He says that Kylie's parents haven't heard from her in months. Then they notice Mycah is gone.
Gunnar frantically searches for Mycah and yells at her. Gunnar goes to a cop on the scene. He blames her for not keeping an eye on him and instead chatting with the satanic Fordham.
He is still searching for Mycah when Will and Layla announce he has won Song of the Year for "Ball and Chain." Mycah finds him and says he got lost and wants to go home. Zoey approaches and Gunnar and Mycah leave.
Will brings over Gunnar's award and Zoey gives it to him. She apologizes and says she feels awful that he missed his big moment and it was her fault. He apologizes and says he panicked and blamed her. Zoey asks what happens if Kylie never comes back. He says that might not be the worst thing for him and Mycah. She starts to cry and says she left Natchez because she wanted something different and knows how much he loves his son but she can't do it and doesn't want to make him choose so she's choosing for him.
Scarlett and Deacon
Scarlett and Deacon-- who is nominated-- decide to watch from home after he comes home from fishing with Maddie. He doesn't want to at first but she ropes him in.
The show starts and we see Brad and Carrie start with their monologue and they tailor it to the "Nashville" characters. Deacon asks how well she knows well. She says a little bit. She notes how beautiful Rayna looks and he says she can do that.
When Rayna and Deacon's song "This Time" wins single of the year, Scarlett hugs him and jumps up and down on the couch. She repeats this when Luke and Rayna win Musical Event of the Year. Deacon says Gunnar has Scarlett to thank for his career since he wasn't doing much before she came along.
When Sadie plays Scarlett says she makes it look so easy. Deacon says she did well for awhile. She says she liked parts of it but it felt so lonely. When Luke wins they notice that Rayna and Luke's body language is not good.
Deacon says it was actually fun to watch and Scarlett hopes they can actually go next year. Zoey then shows up on their doorstep in tears saying she didn't know where else to go.
Teddy
Teddy, also at the show, sees his "escort" in the crowd and Jeff makes a beeline to make sure he doesn't go talk to her in such a public place. Teddy says of course he wouldn't but he does look at her longingly.
Teddy can't help himself though and approaches her in a VIP area. She asks what he's doing and he says just polite conversation and asks who she is with. She notes it's none of his business. He notes it is a business. Her date returns and they are introduced. He asks if they know each other and she says she was just telling the mayor she voted for him and thanks him for all his hard work. He winkingly says he likes to think he can please his constituents.
Teddy and his lady friend meet in some weird unfinished back room and she is livid that she had to cover for him in public. He says she didn't have to. She says she did because the guy she's with is incredibly connected. He points out he's the mayor. She realizes he's jealous. They make out. He asks if this will go on his tab and she says not this time.
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