"Previously on "Nashville"..." "Evening, Mr. Mayor." "Peggy?" "!" "We hear you're to blame for the Wentworth separation." " Back up!" " How's it feel to be a home wrecker?" "All I want is to be a person who gets to say "I love you."" "Scarlett." "(Gunnar) You can't take this personally." "My ex is sleeping with my best friend, and I can't take this personally?" " What's this?" " Market research." " The album's not gonna sell." " I'm buying myself out of Edgehill." "How's it going with Layla?" "Just great." "(Train whistle blows loudly)" "♪" "♪ It'll take you far ♪" "♪ Fast and hard ♪" "♪ Keep you longer than you thought ♪" "♪ You'd stay ♪" "♪ Grab your soul ♪" "♪ Won't let go ♪" "♪ Be with you ♪" "♪ When you're wide awake ♪" "♪ Dreams ♪" "♪ Dreams ♪" "♪ Sometimes it seems ♪" "♪ I'm haunted by my dreams ♪" "♪ Where would I be ♪" "♪ Lost or free?" "♪" "♪ The cost is cheap ♪" "♪ When you know you need ♪" "♪ A helping hand ♪" "♪ A guiding light ♪" "♪ Somewhere to go ♪" "♪ On my darkest night ♪" "♪ Dreams ♪" "♪ Dreams ♪" "♪ Sometimes it seems ♪" "♪ I've been saved by my dreams ♪" "♪ Pray ♪" "♪ Oh, I pray ♪" "♪ 'Cause I know these dreams ♪" "♪ Can carry me away ♪" "Yeah." " Yeah, that'll work." " Hey." "I didn't expect to see you here." "Glenn said you were, uh, adding our song to your set, invited me to hear you rehearse it." "Sounds beautiful." "Thank you." "That was nice of him." "I'd better get back to it." "(Footsteps depart)" "(Daphne) Is he gonna cry?" "I think he's... he's trying really hard not to." "My wife, as you all know, was..." "Shot and killed by a man who clearly targeted me." "That man, Donald Stoffel, was found early this morning by Nashville P.D., dead of an apparent suicide in his home." "Does that mean this is all over?" "No one's trying to hurt dad anymore?" "Yeah." "That's exactly what it means." "(Camera shutters clicking) ..." "Harbored ill will toward my administration, and, in fact, blamed me for his chronic unemployment." "Because of this man's delusion..." "The woman I loved is..." "(Voice breaks) Gone." "(Camera shutter clicking) (Clears throat)" "I'm grateful for the help of the Police Department..." " What can we see dad again?" " Soon." "He said the only thing that helps him right now is having y'all around." "I'll see you guys later." "Hey, you still here?" "Yeah, the song wasn't the only reason I came by." "Just wanted to check in." "Left a couple messages and..." "Yeah." "Uh, sorry." "I've just been swamped." "Figured you were, too." "Oh, yeah." "You know, those dirty glasses at the Bluebird come in fast and furious." "(Chuckles)" "You're late, and where's my nonfat latte, Emily?" "It's good to see you, too." "(Chuckles)" "Mmm!" "Well, I'm glad your aunt's okay, if for no other reason than I get you back." " Uh, I'll catch you later." "All right?" " Yeah." "So you up to speed on everything?" "Think so." "The new head of Edgehill's an ass." "You have a 19-year-old twit opening up for you, and, um, oh, everybody thinks you broke up the world's most beloved couple." "Yep, welcome back to my life." "(Laughs)" "And you told Will that we were doing this today?" "Left voice messages, though he never confirmed." "Just assumed he'd show or..." "you guys'd come together." "Yeah." "Me, too." "But the last time we talked was at the festival." " You never saw him after your show?" " No." " Talk to his roommate at all?" " No, I haven't really met his roommate." "We're dating, but, um, it's not like I know Will that well." "(Knock on window)" "D.J.'s ready." "Looks like you'll have to talk for both of you." " Yep." " I'll keep looking." "So this new material of yours... it's solid." "That's one step above "interesting," but, you know, two below you liked 'em." "It's not about like." "(Chuckles) It's about fit." "You're Deacon Claybourne." "You've got a story." "These songs?" "I hate to say it, but they just skim the surface." "So they're solidly superficial songs." "Look, I want you to tap into the magic you had when you wrote with Rayna." "My partners are gonna be back next week, just for a couple of days." "You think that you can dig deep, come up with some gold by then?" "You bet." " I know you're in the zone, but..." " Buh-buh-buh-buh." " Seriously?" " I've just gotta get this verse down." "Mr. Man wrote a Luke Wheeler/ Rayna Jaymes song, does not mean he's above answering the door. (Doorknob rattles)" "Can you not bust my balls, please?" "Hey." "My name's Brent." "Uh, I work for Jeff Fordham." "Oh, come in." "Thanks." "Brent." "Hey." "(Door cles)" "You come for, uh, another one of my songs?" "No." "I'm actually looking for Will." "Well, he's..." "he's not here." " Any idea where he might be?" " Something wrong?" "Uh, he had a radio interview with Layla and Watty White today and just never showed up." " That doesn't sound like him." " No." "The tour's been on break, and no one's heard from him since the festival." "Has he been home at all?" "We don't really cross paths much anymore, so..." "So he wouldn't have told you where he was headed or..." "Um, what's going on with him?" "Probably not. (Chuckles) No." "Is this like a "Call the cops" kind of situation?" "Maybe I'm just overreacting." "Probably just needed to clear his head." "But if you guys hear from him, uh, tell him to return my calls and that the tour's back on in two days, and if he's not there, then... he'll get dropped." " Yeah." "Yeah, sure." " Thanks." " Hey!" " Hey!" "(Giggles) (Sighs)" " I'm so sorry I couldn't pick you up." " Oh, no." "Mnh-mnh." "(Sighs) Glenn had me over at sound check to hear Juliette rehearse the song we wrote together." " Well, how's it sound?" " Honestly?" "It sounded pretty great." "(Bottle cap fizzes)" "Is that why Juliette came by, like, 2:00 A.M. the other week?" "What?" "Well, just to tell you that she was gonna do your song?" "Uh..." "I guess." "Who knows why stars do what they do?" "(Cell phone buzzing)" "I mean, she could have called or something." "(Buzzing continues)" "(Cell phone beeps)" "It's my publisher." "Sorry." "Hello?" "Yeah." "I'm sitting down." "What?" "S-sorry." "What?" "Yeah." "Just..." "Let me know, please, as soon as you can." "Thank you." "(Cell phone beeps)" "Kelly Clarkson wants to record "Fade into You."" " Are you serious?" "That's..." " (Laughs) That's awesome." "She... she wants to meet up, like, really soon." " With you?" " Yeah." "And Gunnar." "Right." "Yep." "Cross that bridge when we come to it." "Oh, my God!" "Kelly Clarkson wants to record my song!" "(Laughs)" "I'm just glad you were there that night to take the girls home." "Oh, my gosh." "So how long are you gonna stay there?" "(Indistinct conversations)" "Oh, my goodness." "All right, well, don't let the seaweed wraps turn you green or whatever." "All right, honey." "Love you." "Bye." "Tandy is at a spa." "Oh." "(Phone ringing)" " (Sighs) You okay?" " Yeah." " Yeah." " Okay." "What's going on?" "Are they..." "how are they doing?" "Oh, it's fantastic." "And we've almost got the web site up, and... (Cell phone chimes) The Highway 65 train has officially left the station." "This just got posted..." "front page news." "Well, if it hits the trades, it must be at least half-true." "(Chuckles) Of course, Edgehill put out a blurb, and they spun it like they were getting rid of you." "Nobody's gonna believe that, especially after the record comes out." "So I'm gonna go over and meet with Liam this afternoon so we can start sequencing the album, and then all we have to do is figure out a release date and what single we're gonna use." "Probably should get some market research done, see which track has the potential to pop." " Jeff gave me his market research." " Wait." "Jeff gave it to you?" "I mean, it's probably just the same crap they used for my last album." "You saw how well that turned out." "Mm-hmm." "I will be damned if I'm gonna let Highway 65 use the Edgehill model." "Yeah, I don't know." "(Crowd chanting) Oh, lovely." "There they are..." "The kooks who protest everything under the sun." "I thought the Wentworth scandal was over." "Apparently, they didn't get the memo." "You're a disgrace!" "(Sighs) Do you want me to call security?" "It's all right." "They're just exercising their First Amendment rights." "(Window whirs) And here's mine." "(Man) Burn in hell!" "Season 2, Episode 11 "I'll Keep Climbing"" " Oh, crap." " What?" "He left his hat on the bed, which ans he was not thinking straight when he left." "How so?" "(Chuckles) Everybody knows it's bad luck to leave a hat on the bed." "We should check his search history." "(Typing)" "Uh, you know what?" "Maybe..." "maybe I should do that." "Could be some..." "Some guy stuff on there you wouldn't wanna see." "(Clicks keys)" "What's there to do at the Echo Ridge this time of year?" "Ahem." "I, um, heard you're looking for new artists to sign." "What are you doing here?" "I thought we were meeting at the studio." "Come on." "I couldn't wait." "You're saying "screw you" to the man, you buy yourself out of Edgehill?" "That's awesome." "(Chuckles) Such a big turn-on, you know?" "(Giggles)" "Uh, I'm kind of seeing somebody, actually." " Sort of dating." " Who are we talking about?" "Luke Wheeler." "No wonder you looked so miserable when I walked in." "(Laughs)" "Why am I not shocked that you don't like Luke Wheeler?" "What's this crap?" "Mm." "This is why I looked so miserable when you walked in." "Research on our album from Edgehill." "Shouldn't have looked at it, but I did." "(Scoffs) You should burn it." "You know that this market research says that "Better Days" is not the single to launch our album." "(Chuckles) Okay." "All right. (Thud)" ""Better Days" is the single." "You're the artist." "Don't start second-guessing yourself." "Trust the vision. (Clears throat)" "Yeah, I do." "I do." "(Sighs)" "(Slurps)" "(Tapping rhythmically)" "(Discordant chords play)" " (Singsongy) Hello!" " Oh, hey!" "Man, you're a sight for sore eyes." "Oh." "Mmm." "Mmm." " Mmm!" "Oh!" " What?" "I come bearing gifts." "Souvenirs from Dayton." "Are you kidding me?" "(Chuckles)" "When you told me about your AR meeting, I stopped by a music store." "Ohh." "That is so nice." "Mm." "But I was really hoping for a snow globe." "No?" " No." " All right." "You're under a deadline and I wanted you to have something special to write on." "Well... thank you very much." "I missed the hell out of you." "I missed the hell out of you, too." "Mmm." " Ohh." "Ohh." " What?" "The last thing I wanna be is a distraction." "(Laughs) Well, it's a little late for that." "Hmm." "Dad?" "(Rustles)" "Yeah, honey?" "You don't have to hide how sad you are around us." "'Cause we know you are." "(Whispers) Come here." "(Sighs) I'm not nearly as sad when y'all are with me, you know that?" "Okay, so what am I gonna make us for dinner?" "You're not." "We're cooking tonight." " Really?" " Yes." "Mac and cheese with hot dogs." "How'd you know that's what I wanted?" "(Chuckles)" "Thanks, honey." "(Footsteps depart)" "She was nice." "Yeah." "(Sighs)" "(Under breath) There you are." "Are these the same people that were in Nashville?" "What do these guys have, frequent flyer miles?" "(Unfastens seatbelt)" "Or nothing better to do." "(Indistinct conversations)" "(Under breath) Anyone that girl will not give an autograph to?" "(Crowd shouting indistinctly)" "Aren't you Layla Grant?" " Oh." "Hi." " What do you think you're doing?" "Nothing." "They just called me over." "And you just decided to mix it up with some haters?" "Hey, sinner!" "What are you teaching our children with your evil ways?" "Case in point." "Is that what your mother taught you?" "!" "You know she's in hell, just like you'll be, because God punishes the wicked, and you're just as wicked as your junkie whore mother." "There is no God that would listen to a crackpot like you." "Come on, come on, come on, come on." "What are you doing?" "Don't engage with those people." "No respect for Juliette." "(Gunnar) Lexington!" "What the hell are you doing, huh?" "I've been driving all over this damn mountain trying to find you." "You realize when people..." "when people disappear in my life," " ...they tend to end up in a morgue." " Don't look at me." "Hey." " You all right?" " No!" "No, I'm not all right!" "I'm... (Breathing heavily)" "I'm disgusting." "What are you..." "what are you talking about?" "Just leave me the hell alone!" "Will!" "(Knocks on door)" "(Knob turns)" "Hey." "Um, just looking for Gunnar." "He's... not here." "Well, he's not returning my calls, and I need him to." "So... (Scoffs) Would you mind asking him to?" "Yeah, I can do that." " Thanks." " You wanna come in and talk?" "No, thanks." "You know what?" "I am done feeling guilty." "I've tried to apologize to you I don't know how many times." "But I fell for Gunnar for the same reasons you did, and if you don't understand that, I don't know what else I can do." " To your aunt's recovery." " Ah, to employment." "(Clink) Cheers to that." "(Chuckles)" "(Alert chirps) Mm." "Must be Juliette Barnes Press." "I've got a Google alert set for you." "If it's not about me winning another award, I do not want to hear about it." "There is no God." "There is no God." "There is no God." "What?" "(Glass clatters)" "There is no God." "There is no God." "There is no God." "There is no God." "I did not say that." "This is ridiculous." "I'll call your lawyer and Glenn, tell 'em it's fabricated footage." "I can't believe they can put something like that in your mouth and have it look so real." " It is real." "It's..." " What, you said there is no God?" ""That would listen to a crackpot like you."" "This is taken completely out of context." "It's just one gossip site." "Maybe we can get it pulled before anyone bothers to take it seriously." "There is no God." "There is no God." "♪ It's all about the South ♪" "♪ Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana ♪" "♪ Carolina, don't you wanna get down and dirty?" "♪" "♪ 'Cause, Florida, I'm thirsty ♪" "♪ Hit me with your Tennessee whiskey ♪" "♪ And crank it up loud ♪" "♪ Laid-back, crazy old timer ♪" "♪ Sweet magnolia, dive bars and diners ♪" "♪ Oh, yeah, oh, and even if you're up North ♪" "♪ Come on down, come on down, oh ♪" "♪ I said even if you're up north ♪" "♪ Come on down, come on down ♪" "♪ Oh, it's all about the South ♪" "(Rayna) Whoo!" "(Claps hands)" "(Chuckles) All right!" "That was amazing!" "Great, guys." "Thank you so much for having us." " Thanks for coming down." " Thank you." "Man, the Cadillac Three." "I can see ya on Highway 65." " I really do." " Us, too." " We'll get back to you guys soon." " Yeah." " Nice." " (Man) Thank you so much." "Now y'all have a good one." "(Cell phone buzzes) (Lowered voice) They are good." " (Man) How about that, huh?" " (Man) That was nice, huh?" " Oh, wow." " What?" " That duet you did with Luke?" " Yeah?" "Just hit number 6 on iTunes." "Still climbing." "Well, look at that." "Yeah." "It's a hell of a parting gift you gave Jeff Fordham." "Well, it's a good parting gift for me, 'cause if that single does well," " ...it's gonna help me sell my album." " True." "True, true." "So, uh, you still thinking "Better Days" for the single?" "I did a really stupid thing." "I looked at that market research of Jeff's." " (Sighs) And I wish I hadn't." " So "Better Days" isn't the single?" "According to the research, it says there is not a single on the album." " Did you talk to Liam?" " Yeah." "He says we're artists." "We made the album we wanted to make, and we weren't thinking about any of that stuff, which is true." "Except that..." "Now that it's my label, I have to think about that stuff." "(Exhaling)" "(Fire crackling, crickets chirping)" "Wasn't sure when you were coming back, so went ahead and made a fire." "I'm guessing this had something to do with Brent?" "I remember you telling me about some guy from Austin." "Is that him?" " Look, I know how you're feeling." " Really?" " You get what it feels like to wanna die?" " That's why you came up here?" "To kill yourself?" "I came 'cause I couldn't." "I stood on those tracks, and I watched that train come right at me." "(Exhales and sniffles)" "That light was so bright, it was like... (Chuckles)" "Relief. (Sighs) Like a light at the end of a tunnel and loud enough to just drown it all out." "I..." "I hate it." "(Voice breaking) I hate living this." "I-I hate being this." "(Exhales and sniffles)" " You stupid son of a bitch!" " Uhh!" "What the hell, man?" "!" "Next time you feel like you can't take it anymore, you don't go trying to off yourself, okay?" "You find me." "You do anything but..." "But pull crap like this!" "You hear me?" "!" "I am your friend." "Look at me." "Look at me." "I want you to say it." "Say you promise that you will call me." "I promise I'll call." "Okay." "It's not what I hoped." "Is it ever?" "(Crickets chirping)" "(Plays chord)" " Sustenance for the artiste." " (Sighs) I'm not hungry." "(Sighs) Okay." "For the record, I hate that word... "artiste."" "Okay." "Well, I can just put this in the fridge," " ...and you can have it later." " I don't want it, all right?" "So just... take it with you." "I didn't ask for it." "So you're saying you want me to leave?" "I'm saying I want you to stop bothering me, if that's all right." "Okay." "I wasn't aware I was bothering you." "Yeah, well, all this niceness... this "can I help you?" "Is there anything you need?"" "That..." "I'm not a kid doing my homework here, all right?" "I'm..." "I'm workin', and it can't be forced." "Okay, you're under a lot of pressure." "I get it..." "You don't get it, Megan." "You don't. 'Cause you know why?" "You're a lawyer, all right?" "I'm not writing a brief here." "I'm writing a song." "It's a different ball game." "(Plate thuds)" "You know what?" "You wanna fight, go ahead." "But you don't get to accuse me of doing things I'm not doing." "I tell you what you are doing, is you're bugging the hell out of me." "Now I'm not." "(Sighs) Look, man, it's the 21st century." "It is okay to..." "Be whatever." "Not if I'm gonna keep doing what I do for a living." "(Sniffles)" "You're too good to give up..." "On anything, especially your life." "Yeah, well, truth is, if it ain't happened yet, it's probably not gonna happen." " You mean hurting yourself?" " Yeah." "And if that's not gonna happen, then, uh..." "Something else has got to." "Like me getting some sleep for the first time in I don't think how long, so..." "(Clatter)" "(Sighs)" "You go on home." "I'll be fine." "(Inhales deeply)" " Detective, come on in." " Mr. Mayor, you wanted to see me?" "Yes." "Yes, I did." "I wanted to follow up, because..." "I've been going over the evidence of this case, and..." "Sir, for your own sake, I strongly suggest you not reviewing this material." "Well, I-I'm just trying to make sense of it to..." "To understand this man's motives." "Now we didn't know each other." "I have only been mayor for less than a year, and this guy lost his job five years ago." "That doesn't make sense." "Sir, with respect, making sense of an obviously disturbed mind..." "Yeah, but... yeah, but what..." "what did... what had I done to him?" "Or anyone to justify what happened?" "Are we absolutely sure that there's not more to it?" "That there... there isn't a continued threat?" "We can provide you with additional security if you have concerns." "It's not me that I'm worried about." "(Crowd) No respect for Juliette!" "No respect for Juliette!" "What is wrong with these people?" "This is not news." "(Crowd shouting indistinctly in slow motion)" "(Crowd cheering)" "(Cell phone chimes)" "Hi, Gunnar." "It's Scarlett." "Uh, Kelly Clarkson's people just called me... (Gasps) And they wanna record "Fade into You."" "So, yeah, call me back." "Bye." " Thought you'd be gone." " Slept in the truck." "(Sighs) Wanted to stick around, see how you're feeling." " You looked pretty happy on that phone." " Scarlett, of all people." "Seems Kelly Clarkson wants to record a song we wrote together." " Congrats." " Thanks." "(Thud)" "That's what matters, man." "(Grunts)" "Making it happen." "You gonna be all right?" "You go on." "I'll see you back there." "I gotta pack up and catch a plane to Pittsburgh." "(Chuckles)" "(Cell phone rings)" "(Ring)" "(Ring)" "(Ring)" " Hey, Joey, how you doing, man?" " How's the magic coming?" "Could not be better." "Fantastic, 'cause I set up a meeting with the partners in two days." "Two days." "That's..." " That's perfect." " See you then." "(Sighs)" "Are you okay?" "Did you see their faces?" "I've never seen that before." "They hated me." "They are in the minority." "Don't forget about the millions who love you. (Cell phone rings)" "(Ring)" "It's Avery." "Do you wanna take it?" "(Ring)" "No, talking gets me in trouble." "I need to learn how to keep my mouth shut." "You didn't say anything wrong." "It's just too bad we don't have the full footage to prove it." "They'll never give that to us." "Are you kiddin'?" "And even if they did, the press will probably accuse me of doctoring it." "You know what the craziest part is?" "I could go out there, stand in the middle of the stage, and..." "Scream the truth at the top of my lungs, and nobody would believe me." "Do you think they would believe Layla?" "She was right there, wasn't she?" "(Knock on door)" "(Rayna) Thank you." "Hey." " Hey." "Thanks." "For coming." " Yeah, of course." "Look, I know it's my week with the girls, but I really need you to take them." "Okay." "I don't mean to scare you, but the man who tried to kill me..." " He may not have acted alone." " Oh, my God." "I mean, we... we don't know for sure, but a lot of this isn't adding up, and..." "I mean, the bottom line is, I was the target, and I'm still alive, so..." "I don't wanna take a chance with the girls' safety or yours." "I just..." "I just think it's best that I keep my distance for a while, okay?" "Um, yeah." "You know, whatever you need." "I don't know." "Just tell the girls that I'm busy at work or..." "Okay." "Yeah, Lord knows they've been through enough this year." "I need you to do me a favor." "Of course." "Anything." "I need you to tell the media what I really said to those lunatics." "Gee, I'd love to, but I don't..." "But what?" "You were standing right there." "It was really loud and chaotic." "(Scoffs) Oh, come on." "You heard every word." "I just need you to repeat it publicly." "Why would anyone believe me?" "Because as far as anybody who doesn't know you is concerned, you're as pure as the driven snow." "And I'm supposed to put that reputation on the line for you?" "Yeah, you are, because it's the truth, and because if this does not go away, our tour will." "And I will owe you one." "♪ I've been needing you lately ♪" "♪ When the sun goes down ♪" "♪" "♪ I don't know where to find you ♪" "♪ So I just drive around ♪" "(both, harmonizing) ♪ I feel like a stranger in this place ♪" "♪ I wanna see your face ♪" "♪ I've been needing you ♪" "♪ I've been needing you lately ♪" "♪" "♪ Out on ♪" "♪ This road ♪" "♪ My wheels ♪" "♪ Just roll ♪" " ♪ I've always ♪ - ♪ I've always ♪" "♪ Been yours ♪" "♪ But I feel it ♪" "♪ Even more ♪" "♪ Lately ♪" "♪ Lately ♪" "♪ Lately ♪" "♪ Lately ♪" "♪ Oh ♪" "Oh, my gosh." "That was incredible." "I love that one, too." " Thank you." " Thank you." "Do you have any other new material?" "Oh." "We haven't written together recently, no." "Well, would you ever consider writing with me in mind?" "That would be... amazing." "Right?" "That would be an honor." "Good, good, because it's just emotionally so honest." "It's such a special connection that you two have, and there's really nothing else to say." "Y'all just sound great together." "I guess we just kind of, uh, just kind of clicked..." "Me and Scarlett." "Wow, you are very lucky." "But I'm getting together songs right now for my next album pretty quickly, and I was just hoping that y'all wouldn't mind locking yourselves away for a few days, just to write some stuff, see what happens." "Miss Clarkson, I'm thrilled that you wanna record our song, and I'm so grateful for this opportunity that you've given us to work with you." "I just..." "I thought I could make it work, but..." "I can't." "Uh..." "Gunnar and I are not really at a place where we can write together anymore." "Um, what... what... what Scarlett means is" " That we're trying to..." " We've had our differences." "I'm afraid that... the songs that you would be wantin'..." "Are not the ones that you would get." "So I'm really sorry." "I just didn't wanna waste your time." "(Door opens and closes)" "It's complicated." "Oh, my God." "You made it." "I was worried sick." "Yeah." "I, uh, I probably should've left you a note or something." "I'm sorry." "Where'd you go?" "Is everything all right?" "Yeah." "I just needed to get away from everything for a little while, you know?" "You mean me, don't you?" "No. (Chuckles) Layla..." "We're good." "We're fine." "I-I just need to focus on my music, too." "(Button clicks, elevator bell dings) You comin'?" "(Liam) What's up?" " I wanna talk to you about "Better Days."" " Okay." "So I took the liberty of sending it out to a few people..." "Friends and family, some programmers who I really respect and trust." "And I have to tell you, the consensus across the board is that..." "You know, it's... it's a great song, but it's just not the song that's gonna launch our album." "Okay, that's exactly like what that research thing" " ...from Edgehill said, right?" " Yeah." "Yeah." "Since when do you start caring so much about what other people think?" "It's not that I care so much about what other people think..." "No, come on." "You're saying "to hell"" ""with my instincts and my gut." "I'm just gonna play it safe."" "I... play it safe?" "I have leveraged everything..." "Everything for this label..." "my house, my stocks." "I have risked everything that I have." "That's what you do as an artist." "It's so easy for you 'cause you only have yourself to answer to." "I have two daughters..." "Who have been through so much, and if anything happens..." "If anything goes wrong with this album or with this label, it's just gonna be more upheaval for them, and I'm not gonna risk that, not for my artistic integrity or anything." "You're right." " You're so sexy when you're right." " (Scoffs) You never quit." "I couldn't pretend that I could work with him again, and I can't pretend every time I see his stupid face, I don't just wanna punch it." "Really?" "Really?" "You wanna punch him in the face?" "I'm not actually going to punch him in the face." "You broke up with the guy." "Now he's seeing someone else now, and so are you." "Why... why is it so hard to be around him?" "I mean, you still have feelings for him?" "I don't know." "Do you have feelings for Juliette?" " You're kidding me, right?" " No." "You don't turn up at somebody's house at 2:00 A.M." " ...unless something's pulling you there." " She has nothing to do with this." "I saw the way you looked at her, Avery." "We're like old slippers." "Aren't we?" "We just..." "Stepped back in and tried to pick up where we left off." "Yeah." "We did. (Huffs)" "But we're not the same." "No." "I guess we're not." "Ugh!" "I can't believe she just tanked a meetg with Kelly Clarkson." "I never thought Scarlett would be like this." "I just thought..." "I really thought if we could work together again, we might be able to put all this stuff behind us, you know?" "Maybe be friends again." "(Sighs)" "(Whispers) Yeah." "(Normal voice) Well, that's not happening." "Hey, I'm sorry." "Okay?" "I'm sorry." "(Sighs) You know what?" "I'm not." "I'm not sorry at all, because I love you." "I love you, too." "I appreciate you coming over, you know, especially after I, uh..." "Behaved like a complete and total asshat?" "I was gonna say "jerk," but... yeah." "That." "Can I ask how it's going without getting my head bitten off?" "You can." " How's it going?" " Not great." " You wanna know who I blame?" " It'd better not be me." "It's you." "Partially." "A couple of hours ago, I was sitting in front of a liquor store in my truck." "I was wondering if the answer to all this was in the bottom of a bottle." " I didn't go in." "I didn't drink." " Good." "I'm glad." "My whole life, I've known how to write songs..." "From a place of pain, you know, or chaos." "Heartache." "And right now I'm just..." "Trying every damn thing I can to figure out how to do that when I'm happy." "So..." " You're happy." " Yeah." "'Cause of you, 'cause of Maddie, 'cause of this music," "I'm... happy, and..." "It's just gonna take some getting used to." "(Chuckles)" "Just so you know, my management team is really against me doing this." "(Chuckles) They're amateurs." "And if they drop you, I'll manage you myself." "What they don't understand is all we're asking you to do is go up there and tell the truth." "(Glenn) It's time." "(Man speaking indistinctly)" "(Under breath) Here goes nothing." "(Indistinct conversations)" "Thank you all for being here today." "I'm the last person in the world who would defend Juliette Barnes if she actually said what was on that tape, because as some of you may know, I hold very deep religious beliefs, and I would not betray those beliefs for anyone or anything." "I was there that day." "I heard it myself." "The clip that's making the rounds doesn't tell the whole story." "When those protestors were screaming horrible things about her mother," "Juliette responded." "She said, "There is no God..."" ""Who would listen to a crackpot like you."" "She killed it." "She better have, or something else is gonna die, like my career." "(Door closes) All right." "I know that was quite an entrance, but... (Chuckles)" "Your duet with Luke Wheeler just hit number one." "Ohh." " Well, how about that?" " Yeah, how about that?" "Jeff Fordham must be thrilled." "Yeah, but did you her the latest Juliette Barnes thing?" "Yeah." "You know, I have to say, she's said a lot of crazy stuff before, but I can't believe she said that." "You know Jeff's freaking out, though." "Oh. (Chuckles) (Laughs)" "Forget about Jeff." "Focus." "Highway 65." " Here we go." "Um..." " All right." "I did make a decision." "I'm not gonna use "Better Days" for our single." " Means we need a song." " Well, write one." "Yeah, no pressure." "Well, it's not like you haven't done it before, right?" "Look, don't let this market research and your last record shake your confidence." "You can write a hit single for this new album." " You know why?" " Because I have to." "Because you're a brilliant songwriter." "Heck, I remember when you and Deacon used to knock out future number ones between dessert and coffee." "Boy, that seems like a long time ago." "(Indistinct conversations) Will." " I was worried." "Where were you?" " Uh, don't do that." "What's going on?" "Look, I'm not gonna need a minder on the road." "I got things under control, so you tell Jeff thanks but, uh..." " You can go on back to Nashville." " Wait, Will..." " It's..." " Don't!" "It's okay." "You're just freaking out a little bit." "Everything's gonna be fine." "Nothing's gonna be fine between us..." "Ever again." "I tell you what." "That is not half-bad." "I'd say it was pretty half-good." "(Chuckles) (Chuckles) You're right." "(Knock on door) Come in." "Hey!" "Mom, you have got to hear the song Deacon and I just wrote." "(Deacon) Yeah." "I mean, we wrote it in, like, five minutes." " Well, maybe ten." " Maybe ten." "I wanna hear it." " I wanna hear it." " (Deacon) Let's do it." " 10-minute song." " (Maddie) Okay." " (Daphne) Yes." " All right." "♪" "♪ I don't remember ♪" "♪ How I got here ♪" "♪ When my rose-colored glasses disappeared ♪" "♪" "♪ Sometimes my fingers ♪" "♪ They can lose touch ♪" "♪ Start letting go of everything I love ♪" "♪" "(Both, harmonizing) ♪ When I get the feeling ♪" "♪ That my prayers have hit the ceiling ♪" "♪ And those darker days ♪" "♪ When my faith has lost all meaning ♪" "(Maddie) ♪ You keep me believing ♪" "♪ My fears are safe here ♪" "♪ Held in your hands ♪" "♪ When I'm broken ♪" "♪ You put me back together again ♪" "(Deacon) ♪ All that I once was ♪" "♪ All I could be ♪" "♪ What I've forgotten ♪" "♪ Baby, you remind me ♪" "♪ When I get the feeling ♪" "♪ That my prayers have hit the ceiling ♪" "♪ Ooh, ooh ♪" "(Maddie and Deacon) ♪ And those darker days ♪" "♪ When my faith has lost all meaning ♪" "♪ You keep me believing" "Hey, Juliette, it's me." "I'm watching all this on TV, and, uh..." "I just want you to know that I'm..." "I'm here for you." "So... give me a call back." "Or... come by if you want." "Anytime..." "Day or night." "(Deacon and Maddie) ♪ When I get the feeling ♪" "♪ That my prayers have hit the ceiling ♪ ...Statement issued by Layla Grant... ♪ On those darker days ♪" "♪ When my faith has lost all meaning ♪" "♪ When I get the feeling ♪" "♪ That my prayers have hit the ceiling ♪" "♪ On those darker days ♪" "♪ When my faith has lost all meaning ♪" "♪ You keep me believing ♪"