Welcome back to a very special episode of Nashville – a pre-taped live concert (with flattering mixing & tuning in post) at the Grand Ole Opry House by Nashville‘s cast and some of its behind-the-scenes stars: the songwriters! It’s a great chance to showcase the very best aspect of this show, and highlight why it’s such a great outlets for songwriters creating songs of greater variety and substance than the bro country that dominates country radio.
To DOWNLOAD the Nashville On The Record 2 live album, click HERE!
We kick things off with the Lia and Phillip LaRue cowrite “Borrow My Heart,” from Episode 9 this season, performed by a barefoot Clare Bowen, Jonathan Jackson and Sam Palladio. Some sweet harmonies on a rootsy soulful tune that recalls Lady Antebellum when they 1st started out, and these three are pretty natural performers. We see the songwriters in the audience, and also the show’s music producer Buddy Miller playing bass guitar while sporting a long purple coat.
To DOWNLOAD “Borrow My Heart,” cowritten by Lia and Phillip LaRue and performed by Clare Bowen, Jonathan Jackson and Sam Palladio, click HERE!
When they’re done, cut to footage of Jonathan Jackson, Aubrey Peeples, Charles Esten, Clare Bowen (who not only has an Australian accent, she has a much deeper speaking voice than her counterpart on the show!), Sam Palladio (with native British accent) and Lennon & Maisy Stella showing gratitude for the way the show and its host city has given them the opportunity to develop and be recognized as musicians. We get a quick shot of Clare Bowen and Sam Palladio chatting with acclaimed Nashville hitmaker and inspiration for the recently introduced Kevin Bicks character Shane McAnally before they head back onto stage to perform the Matt Jenkins, Shane McAnally and Trevor Rosen waltz that Kelly Clarkson’s cut, “Fade Into You.” The song was originally introduced on Episode 3 of Nashville‘s 1st season. The performance is shot with a lot of close ups to capture the intimacy and sensuality of the song.
To DOWNLOAD the studio version of “Fade Into You,” cowritten by Matt Jenkins, Shane McAnally, and Trevor Rosen and performed by Clare Bowen and Sam Palladio, click HERE.
To DOWNLOAD the Nashville On The Record 2 version of “Fade Into You,” cowritten by Matt Jenkins, Shane McAnally, and Trevor Rosen and performed by Clare Bowen and Sam Palladio, click HERE!
After a commercial break, we come back to Chris Carmack, Will Chase and the aforementioned Nashville stars at a loss for words to describe what an honor it is to play the Opry. Some lovely shots of the Grand Ole Opry House and of the hallowed circle from the Opry’s original home, the Ryman Auditorium. The next performance is Jonathan Jackson solo on the Mary Gauthier & Gretchen Peters-penned “How To Learn To Live Alone,” a song introduced on the Season 2 premiere of Nashville. He starts off solo on the piano, and Mary Gauthier watches approvingly from the audience. He sounds a bit nasal at times, but he handles the beautifully pensive song well.
To DOWNLOAD the studio version of “How To Learn To Live Alone,” cowritten by Mary Gauthier and Gretchen Peters and performed by Jonathan Jackson, click HERE!
To DOWNLOAD the Nashville On The Record 2 version of “How To Learn To Live Alone,” cowritten by Mary Gauthier and Gretchen Peters and performed by Jonathan Jackson, click HERE!
Next up are Chris Carmack and Aubrey Peeples, performing the Dean Alexander & Jaida Dreyer “If Your Heart Can Handle It.” This tune was introduced in Episode 3 of the current season of Nashville. They have considerably more chemistry in real life than they were allowed to on the show (for obvious reasons). The talented & lovely Jaida Dreyer is in the house singing along. Listening to this, you really get the sense of why Layla has managed to hang around the show – Aubrey Peeples has an excellent voice and cool tone & phrasing – she’s such a potential musical asset, it’s easy to get why the producers wouldn’t want to let her go. You can tell she’s really taking this performance seriously, too. Chris Carmack is a solid singer in his own right, maybe not the most powerful voice but a nice tone and he can deliver a lyric. Peeples affectionately squeezes Carmack’s shoulder backstage after their performance.
To DOWNLOAD the studio version of “If Your Heart Can Handle It,” cowritten by Dean Alexander and Jaida Dreyer and performed by Chris Carmack and Aubrey Peeples, click HERE!
To DOWNLOAD the Nashville On The Record 2 version of If Your Heart Can Handle It,” cowritten by Dean Alexander and Jaida Dreyer and performed by Chris Carmack and Aubrey Peeples, click HERE!
In the next segment, the stars of Nashville sing the praises of the songwriters in town, and talk about the music staff on the show, led by music supervisor Frankie Pine and legendary music producer Buddy Miller. Nashville creator Callie Khouri and showrunner Dee Johnson collaborate to make sure the songs and the scenes are enhancing each other the way they need to. Once the songs are picked, it’s off to the studio, where Buddy Miller and his ace band play while the cast tries to capture the spirit not only of the song but the scene where the song will be performed. A lot to think about!
Up next, Charles Esten takes the stage with Deacon Claybourne picks and a Deacon guitar strap. Joining him is Deanna Carter, a singer/songwriter with numerous hit songs to her credit as an artist, whose “You & Tequila” became a t5 hit when it was covered and released in 2011 by Kenny Chesney. They cowrote a lovely ballad called “I Know How To Love You Now,” a tune that speaks directly to Deacon’s journey with Rayna, the hurt he inflicted and his hope for redemption. The song, which was introduced in the Season 3 Premiere of the show, is straight 90s country, reflective and pleading. After his performance, Aubrey Peeples and Chris Carmack congratulate him with a hug and a high five, respectively. The cast camaraderie shots make me smile, I have to admit.
To DOWNLOAD the studio version of “I Know How To Love You Now,” cowritten by Deanna Carter and Charles Esten and performed by Charles Esten with Deanna Carter click HERE!
To DOWNLOAD the Nashville On The Record 2 version of “I Know How To Love You Now,” cowritten by Deanna Carter and Charles Esten and performed by Charles Esten with Deanna Carter click HERE!
When the show returns, the spotlight is on Nashville‘s efforts to give back to the community that has supported and nurtured the show. We see footage of Charles Esten sitting in with sessions at the Nashville School For The Arts, which he narrates with talk of how the school’s programs are supported by the CMA and ABC. They’ve invited some kids from the school to the taping, and after recognizing them, Charles Esten introduces Lennon & Maisy Stella, who perform the winsome folk-pop tune Jill Andrews/Lori McKenna-penned tune “We Got A Love.” That’s a song we first heard in Episode 10 of the current season. Love that they’re accompanied by an accordion (in addition to the upright bass that has supported a few performances so far). Jill Andrews is in the audience – nice that they invited the songwriters to attend the show. They are great individual singers, but their harmonies are really something special. The show has its cutest moment when Lennon Stella grins as her sister Maisy hits some high notes here. They land perfectly on the right side of the adorable/precious to the point of being twee line.
To DOWNLOAD the studio version of “We Got A Love,” cowritten by Jill Andrews and Lori McKenna and performed by Lennon & Maisy Stella, click HERE!
To DOWNLOAD the Nashville On The Record 2 version of “We Got A Love,” cowritten by Jill Andrews and Lori McKenna and performed by Lennon & Maisy Stella click HERE!
Chris Carmack is singing lines backstage with Will Chase when Sam Palladio interrupts with jazz hands and a completely different song. Will Chase shakes his head and snarks, “The English!” He’s laughing with Carmack, but comments to the camera that he’s “so nervous.” They take the stage for the Jonathan Singleton/Brad Tursi cowritten heartbreak tune, “If I Drink This Beer.” That’s the tune Luke performed at his wedding replacement party in Episode 11 of this season. Chase is a Broadway veteran whose acting performance as Luke Wheeler has been strong, and he has a good voice. But he’s not a natural country singer/performer (especially not with his hands in his pocket), and it’s a smart move to have Carmack join him. They sound quite good together in the chorus – Chase sounds considerably better on the chorus & bridge than the verses, though he handles the closing verse well. I think a song he sang in Episode 13 this season, “Can’t Help My Heart” (cowritten by Sarah Buxton, Kevin Griffin, & Jedd Hughes) was considerably better for and from him.
To DOWNLOAD the studio version of “If I Drink This Beer,” cowritten by Jonathan Singleton and Brad Tursi and performed by Will Chase, click HERE!
To DOWNLOAD the Nashville On The Record 2 version of “If I Drink This Beer,” cowritten by Jonathan Singleton and Brad Tursi and performed by Chris Carmack and Will Chase, click HERE!
In the next segment, the cast gushes about Reba, what an honor it is that she’s supporting the show and how down to earth she is. After pinky-shakes with her band, Reba takes the stage to perform her current single, “Going Out Like That,’ cowritten by Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip and Jason Sellers. One of the things that makes Reba so much fun is that you look at her, and you just know she’s having fun being up there on stage. The song’s about a woman who’s leaving her post break-up doldrums behind for a night out on the town, and it feels like an encouraging friend is giving a pep talk. Fun, likable stuff. Maisy Stella congratulates Reba on an “amazing” performance backstage, and Aubrey Peeples adds her starstruck congratulations.
To DOWNLOAD “Going Out Like That,” cowritten by Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip and Jason Sellers and performed by Reba, click HERE!
For the closer, a gracious Charles Esten talks about how the purpose of Nashville: On The Record is to showcase “the amazing music that [they] are privileged to feature on [their] show” and to put the spotlight on the great songwriters who contribute to the musical backbone of the show. Clare Bowen & Lennon & Maisy Stella join him to thank their friends, collaborators and mentors, and we have a lovely moment where the songwriters stand in the audience for a round of applause from the rest of the crowd. Together, they launch in the gorgeously folky “Friend Of Mine,” cowritten by Johnny Hanson and Lucy Schwartz Charles Esten starts, and Clare Bowen joins for harmonies first, followed by Lennon & Maisy Stella. This is a song sung on the show by Deacon, Scarlett, and Scarlett’s mom Beverly in Episode 12 of this season. The rest of the night’s performers from the cast take the stage to add their voices, to a welcoming roar from the audience, and it’s all smiles (and a little bit of “I feel awkward & overmatched” hands in pocket from Will Chase) from there. When the performance ends, the performers all hug each other, Sam Palladio air jams with the band, and the cast leads the applause for the band.
To DOWNLOAD the studio version of “Friend Of Mine,” cowritten by Johnny Hanson and Lucy Schwartz and performed by Clare Bowen, Charles Esten, and Dana Wheeler, click HERE!
To DOWNLOAD the Nashville On The Record 2 version of “Friend Of Mine,” cowritten by Johnny Hanson and Lucy Schwartz and performed by Clare Bowen, Charles Esten, Lennon & Maisy Stella and the rest of the Nashville cast, click HERE!
