Synopsis:

Rayna learns her family is facing financial ruin; Juliette asks Deacon to write and tour with her exclusively; Juliette's mother re-enters her life.

(From ABC)
Rayna immerses herself in her kids' lives and her husband's campaign, and is sobered to learn that she and Teddy are facing financial ruin; Juliette offers Deacon an exclusive contract to write and tour with her; and Juliette's troubled mother, Jolene, re-enters her daughter's life in dramatic fashion. Meanwhile, Scarlett and Gunnar's big break with Watty is threatened.

(Recap From ABC)
Cameras flash and click around Juliette at a photo shoot for her new perfume line. Juliette tells Glenn she wants Deacon on exclusive contract. Glenn says he’s working on it, then informs Juliette that her troubled mother showed up at the label and someone gave her 100 bucks to leave. Juliette is upset—you don’t give cash to a druggie.

At home, Rayna gets her daughters ready for school as they discuss their upcoming talent show. Deacon and Rayna have a labored conversation over the phone, with Rayna hanging up as fast as she can. Deacon’s lawyer tells him Juliette is still inquiring about the tour, but he makes it clear his answer is no.

Scarlett and Gunnar write “I Will Fall”, harmonizing perfectly together. Avery shows up, surprised to see them. Awkwardness ensues, and Gunnar compliments him to save face.

Rayna and Teddy meet with their accountant, who advises them that in order to avoid declaring bankruptcy, they need to borrow against the house. Or Rayna can join Juliette’s tour. And, there’s always the option of borrowing money from Lamar. But Rayna isn’t having either of those options.

Outside the studio, Juliette’s mom, Jolene, shows up looking for her daughter. Juliette leaves quickly, affected by her mom’s haggard appearance. Later, Juliette’s team goes through the track list for her new album and Juliette is told that Deacon won’t be touring with her, but she won’t easily accept that answer. She calls Deacon and points out that they have to record “Undermine” today if he wants it on the album.

At the recording studio, Scarlett and Gunnar sing “If I Didn’t Know Better” for their demo. Or at least they attempt to. Scarlett, nervous, fumbles her part a few times, so Watty calls it off for the day. Watty tells Gunnar he’ll find someone else to sing on the demo, because they are doing it to land a publishing deal so it doesn’t really matter who’s singing. Scarlett, who hasn’t considered herself a singer, still finds this news disappointing.

Bucky goes over tour dates and options with Deacon and Rayna, and there is awkwardness between them when he leaves. Deacon wants to do their smaller more intimate songs, and Rayna wants anything but. Rayna needs some time and Deacon says to call when she knows what she wants.

Back at the house, Rayna helps pick out clothes for the girls’ talent show. Lamar has the nerve to messenger over a $500,000 check to Rayna—but there are strings attached.

Rayna would have to support Teddy’s campaign full-time and forgo her own career. This isn’t a deal Rayna or Teddy are interested in, and they decide to not accept his loan. But they still need the money... Where will they find it?

Deacon shows up to the studio to record with Juliette after all. They lay down “Undermine,” and are happy with the finished track but both sense an emotional undercurrent. Every song comes from somewhere, as Deacon and Juliette both respond for their own reasons. Laying in bed after sex, Juliette points out that she wants him on her tour, but Deacon doesn’t like being tied down. Still, in the moment, he admits that being and writing with her doesn’t sound bad at all.

Suddenly Juliette is called outside to the gates of her exclusive community, where Jolene creates a scene and begs her daughter to let her stay. Juliette declines, but when she returns inside, Deacon hastily leaves—to go talk to Rayna.

Those two meet up and talk out the fact that it’s over between them, since her heart is in pieces and she has to look at what’s right for her and her family. Juliette asks Deacon for a definitive answer on joining her tour. He declines because he doesn’t think she can count on him.

At Maddie & Daphne’s talent show, Lamar shows up with flowers for his granddaughters. Rayna is livid over the strings attached to his loan. Maddie & Daphne sing Juliette Barnes’ “Telescope” and despite Rayna’s dislike of Juliette, she can’t help but beam at her daughters’ amazing talent.

Later, Rayna talks through the loan details with Tandy, who reveals the affair their mother had with a musician. Lamar’s issues with Rayna’s career and their contentious relationship become clear in light of this. Rayna visits her father the next day and calls him out on how absent he’s been in her life. After she leaves, Lamar is emotional while looking over pictures of a young Rayna and his wife.

At the Bluebird, Gunnar tells Avery that Scarlett couldn’t sing properly because she believes that if something good comes from the demo, Avery will leave her. Avery swears that’s ridiculous; and the next day, he instills some confidence in Scarlett by promising he’ll be at the studio for her. When Gunnar and Scarlett try again at recording, Avery is indeed there and Scarlett is at ease. Avery also makes sure to take the opportunity to introduce himself to Watty.

Teddy goes back to the credit union where he worked looking to take out a loan, but when the fact that they are under an audit is mentioned, Teddy backtracks. They’ll have to find the money elsewhere.

Juliette gets news that her mom was found in possession of drugs and they need to decide what to do now. Jolene comes in to thank Juliette for letting her stay at her home, but Juliette just leaves. At a store, Juliette, reeling from her mom’s arrest, sneaks a bottle of nail polish into her purse. Unfortunately for her, she’s unaware of a fan’s cell phone camera capturing the whole thing.