Photo Coverage: Meet the Cast of ABC'S NASHVILLE, Premieres 10/10

Premiering October 10, 2012 on ABC - meet the cast of NASHVILLE!

Music legend and entertainment icon Rayna Jaymes has been one of the industry’s top female vocalists for two decades. After working tirelessly to elevate her game, Rayna suddenly discovers her passion for the business is not enough to compete with the new generation of talent lighting up the charts. She is reluctant to accept the emerging trend in the business and refuses to be steamrolled by her longtime label, which she helped build. When they give her an offer she can’t refuse, Rayna is forced to accept the harsh reality that she’ll have to start over and reinvent herself if she plans on being relevant.

Offstage things aren’t much easier for Rayna, whose father, Lamar Wyatt, is Nashville’s most powerful businessman. Their distant relationship is strained by years of resentment and powerful secrets that begin to boil over when Lamar and her sister, Tandy, encourage Rayna’s husband, Teddy, to run for office. For Teddy Conrad, this might be his time to share the spotlight instead of being the man behind the woman. For years he’s competed against Rayna’s greatest love… her music. He’s been haunted by her romantic entanglements, which he thought were buried in the past, but now his choice to align himself with her father could send Rayna running back into the arms of her soul mate.

Juliette Barnes is sexy, sassy, and she’s got trouble written all over her. She’s the hottest act in the business and she’s not about to let anyone stand in the way of her success, much less Rayna James. On her way to the top, an even bigger set of circumstances will cast a shadow on her girl-next-door image. But Juliette is calculating, has an insatiable appetite for fame, and will do whatever it takes to leave her hard knocks past behind. Everyone in Nashville has a dream: Deacon Claybourne is the band leader whose unrequited love is constantly played out in the lyrics of familiar songs; Scarlett O’Connor is the beautiful undiscovered songwriter; Avery Barkley is a young misguided musician; and Gunnar Scott is an up and comer on a collision course with Scarlett.

“Nashville” stars Connie Britton (“Friday Night Lights,” “American Horror Story”) as Rayna Jaymes, Hayden Panettiere (“Heroes”) as Juliette Barnes, Powers Boothe (“MacGruber,” “24”) as Lamar Wyatt, Charles Esten (“Enlightened,” “Big Love”) as Deacon Claybourne, Eric Close (“Chaos,” “Without a Trace”) as Teddy Conrad, Clare Bowen as Scarlett O’Connor, Jonathan Jackson (“General Hospital”) as Avery Barkley, Sam Palladio as Gunnar Scott and Robert Wisdom as Coleman Carlisle.

R.J. Cutler (“The September Issue,” “The War Room,” “A Perfect Candidate”), Callie Khouri (“Thelma & Louise”), James D. Parriott (“Sons of Anarchy,” “Grey’s Anatomy”) and Steve Buchanan are executive producers of “Nashville.” The pilot was written by Callie Khouri and directed by R.J. Cutler. The series is produced by Lionsgate, ABC Studios and Gaylord Entertainment. “Nashville” is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.

Connie Britton as Rayna Jaymes

Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes

Charles Esten as Deacon Claybourne

Sam Palladio as Gunnar Scott

Clare Bowen as Scarlett O'Connor

Jonathan Jackson as Avery Barkley

Eric Close as Teddy Conrad

Powers Boothe as Lamar Wyatt

Robert Wisdom as Coleman Carlisle