Image Courtesy ABC/Bob D’AmicoMost of Music City was at the annual “Winterville Nashfest” event on Wednesday night’s Nashville. Will Lexington and Layla Grant dressed up like hipsters at the festival to avoid being recognized from their hit reality show. Will ended up finding a bar and unsuccessfully hitting on a partnered gay guy. Layla ended up wowing her record label president, Jeff Fordham, with an impromptu acoustic performance at the festival. Jeff liked it so much he took her to bed.
Scarlett O’Conner landed her homeless friend and former blues star, Terry, a gig opening the festival. After a well-received performance, Terry bolted from the stage haunted by memories of his wife and kids that died in a car accident on their way to one of his shows. When Scarlett caught up with Terry, he was drinking with some homeless guys and told her she was projecting her own dreams of stardom onto him.
Lucky for Scarlett, her best friend Zoey dropped out of a planned festival performance with her ex-boyfriend, Gunnar Scott, and Avery Barkley. Challenged by Terry calling her a coward, Scarlett stepped in to perform with the guys. That performance led to an offer for a tour from a big-time manager, but Gunnar is too focused on his son, Micah, to move forward with a tour right now. Meanwhile, Zoey left Nashville for Los Angeles to take another singing gig.
Rayna Jaymes and Luke Wheeler filmed a network Christmas special at her house, but Rayna was distracted when the Rolling Stone interview she gave about her ex, Deacon Claybourne, came out. After getting very upset, Deacon finally realized he needed to move on from Rayna, thanks to the article. Rayna and Luke finished out the episode singing “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” which is now available for download at iTunes.
That duet is part of the new holiday album, Christmas with Nashville, also available on iTunes. The project features the show’s stars singing Christmas classics like “White Christmas” and “Santa Baby.” Charles Esten, who plays Deacon, sings “Blue Christmas” on the album, and he was thrilled to work with the project’s producer, Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts.
Charles tells ABC News Radio, “He is so hugely talented. Not only as the bass player and vocalist for Rascal Flatts, but as a producer, he’s, I really think, coming into his own and doing some great things.”
Vince Gill also played guitar and sang harmony on “Blue Christmas,” which was a big thrill for Charles. “I was like, ‘Man, oh man — just another one of the many gifts that have come out of this unbelievable show,” says Charles.
The winter finale of Nashville airs next Wednesday night at 10 ET on ABC.
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