Nashville season 3

The third season of the American television musical drama series Nashville, created by Callie Khouri, began on September 24, 2014, on ABC. The show features an ensemble cast with Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere in the leading roles as two country music superstars, Rayna Jaymes and Juliette Barnes.

The episodes are named after country songs from a variety of artists, like Webb Pierce ("That's Me Without You"), Willie Nelson (a number of songs, like "The Storm Has Just Begun") and Loretta Lynn ("You're Lookin' at Country").

Production
On May 9, 2014, Nashville was renewed for a third season by ABC. The series was renewed after prolonged negotiations for a full 22-episode season. This season will receive a combined $8 million incentive package from the state of Tennessee, Metro Nashville and other local groups, lower than the Season 2 incentives — which totaled $13.25 million. On March 11, 2014, before the show was renewed, it was announced that Oliver Hudson and Will Chase are being promoted to regulars for season three, contingent on the ABC series getting a renewal. The series creator and executive producer later said that "a lot of our characters may not be in every episode this year".

On July 30, 2014, it was announced that Tony Award winner Laura Benanti was cast in the recurring role of country star Sadie Stone who is Rayna's friend. On August 1, 2014, it was announced that the first episode of the season will be aired live, and will consist of musical performances broadcast directly from the Bluebird Café. This will be the first time in TV history that a scripted drama has attempted this musical feat. On August 11, 2014, it was announced that actress-singer Brette Taylor joined the cast in a major recurring role as Pam, Luke’s sultry, extroverted new backup singer, and Alexa PenaVega also was cast for a multi-episode arc as Kiley, Gunnar’s first love and who is now a single mother. On August 14, 2014, it was announced that the Emmy Award Winning dancer Derek Hough, would also join the cast for a multi-episode arc as Noah West. On the same day, it was announced that Judith Hoag (Tandy Hampton) will be leaving the show after the second episode, but may return later. (She makes a guest appearance in "First To Have A Second Chance.") On September 12, 2014, it was announced that Mykelti Williamson was cast in a four-episode arc as musician who, after personal tragedy, lives as a nomad on the streets of Nashville. On October 27, 2014, it was announced that Moniqua Plante also was cast for a multiple-episode arc as Natasha, a woman, who "expected to provide some jaw-dropping twists for Teddy". Country singer Sara Evans joined the cast as a fictionalized version of herself. She had guest starring role in the episode dated October 29, 2014 and set to possible recurring return later with major story arc. On January 23, 2015, it was announced that Kyle Dean Massey joined the cast in a recurring role as openly gay country music singer-songwriter Kevin Bicks. Christina Aguilera later was cast as a pop superstar Jade St. John for a multi-episode arc.

Filming for season three ended on April 17, 2015.

Regular

 * Connie Britton as Rayna Jaymes
 * Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes
 * Clare Bowen as Scarlett O'Connor
 * Chris Carmack as Will Lexington
 * Will Chase as Luke Wheeler
 * Eric Close as Teddy Conrad
 * Charles Esten as Deacon Clayborne
 * Oliver Hudson as Jeff Fordham
 * Jonathan Jackson as Avery Barkley
 * Sam Palladio as Gunnar Scott
 * Lennon Stella as Maddie Conrad
 * Maisy Stella as Daphne Conrad

Recurring

 * Aubrey Peeples as Layla Grant
 * David Alford as Bucky Dawes
 * Laura Benanti as Sadie Stone
 * Kourtney Hansen as Emily
 * Ed Amatrudo as Glenn Goodman
 * Andi Rayne and Nora Gill as Cadence Barkley
 * Nick Jandl as Dr. Caleb Rand
 * Moniqua Plante as Natasha
 * Chaley Rose as Zoey Dalton
 * Gunnar Sizemore as Micah Brenner
 * Keean Johnson as Colt Wheeler
 * Alexa PenaVega as Kiley Brenner
 * Brette Taylor as Pam York
 * Kyle Dean Massey as Kevin Bicks
 * Judith Hoag as Tandy Hampton
 * Mykelti Williamson as Terry George
 * Derek Hough as Noah West
 * Christina Aguilera as Jade St. John
 * Scott Reeves as Noel Laughlin
 * Rex Linn as Bill Lexington

Guest

 * Dana Wheeler-Nicholson as Beverly O'Connor
 * Sylvia Jefferies as Jolene Barnes
 * The Band Perry
 * Luke Bryan as himself
 * Sara Evans as a fictionalized version of herself
 * Florida Georgia Line
 * Joe Nichols as himself
 * Brad Paisley as himself
 * Amy Robach as herself
 * Anthony Ruivivar as Rolling Stone reporter
 * Carrie Underwood as herself
 * Trisha Yearwood as herself
 * Pam Tillis as herself
 * Mario Lopez as himself
 * Tracey Edmonds as herself
 * Charissa Thompson as herself
 * Terri Clark as herself
 * Chuck Wicks as himself
 * Blair Garner as himself
 * Bobby Bones as himself
 * Lorrie Morgan as herself