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CMT’s “Nashville” star Charles Esten is the latest addition to pay homage to Randy Travis Wednesday night (Feb. 8) at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Esten joins a roster of over 40 artists to pay tribute to the Country Music Hall of Famer.

 More with 'Nashville' star Charles Esten on the 'After the Show Show'

Across three airings — two on CMT and an encore on sibling [email protected], the fifth season opner averaged nearly two million viewers and a .77 rating in adults 18-49. That was off by 20% from the show’s Live+same day average for its fourth season on ABC and by a tenth from the drama’s Season 4 finale.

The changes must be ascribed to new showrunners Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick, the fellows who brought you thirtysomething, My So-Called Life, and Once and Again. The two have been working primarily in the movie industry of late, but a return to television to revive the dead-and-canceled Nashville is their current spiritual mission.

Actor Charles Esten is known for his role as singer-songwriter Deacon Claybourne on the musical drama “Nashville,” but it’s not just an act: He’s a real-life musician who plans to release many songs this year. 

“‘Nashville’ was always so special to me, and Deacon is the role of a lifetime,” Esten tells Variety. “It’s probably even more special now knowing how close we came to it being completely over.”

Charles Esten has been even more pumped for the Season 5 return of “Nashville” than the fan base who rallied forces to ensure that the Music City drama found a new home on CMT. The leading man who lays out the ongoing struggles of his character, Deacon Claybourne, week by week never faded in his feeling that “there were more stories to be told,” and now those stories continue tonight with a two-hour “Nashville” premiere. To raise the stakes even higher, Charles Esten made a resolution for his 2017 that he would release a new song every week. Thus far, the singer, songwriter, and actor is staying right on track, and in honor of the “Nashville” new season, and the connection he already feels for the ladies of “Today,” especially country music aficionado, Hoda Kotb, he offered his latest song a little early for the Jan. 5 morning show.

“Those fans of ours, they’re called Nashies; they’re not just bystanders to this event,” Esten tells The Boot. “They were integral to the pickup of Nashville; CMT itself has said it. When ABC did not pick us up, I was very grateful — still am — for the four years we had there. But what I was really grateful for was that outcry of those fans.

Nashies never give up.

When ABC announced it would not renew its music-centric drama Nashville, fans of the Callie-Khouri-created nighttime soap took matters into their own hands. “I knew that we weren’t done telling these stories or singing these songs,” says Charles “Chip” Esten, who plays Deacon Claybourne, longtime bandmate and brand-new husband of country superstar turned business mogul Rayna Jaymes (Connie Britton). “I have been doing this a long time and understand that nothing’s a given, so I’ve tried to live every single season, every single episode and day here as fully as I can. The love that fans threw our way in that undecided period, that sure helped — you ask any one of our cast members! And then it helped to get us picked up. They were very savvy, very organized and I was so impressed that they were able to take their disappointment and turn it into action.” Action that paid off handsomely.

Though widely known for his role as Deacon Claybourne on CMT’s Nashville, Charles Esten also still gets recognized from his days on the improv comedy show, Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Read More: Charles Esten Gets to Put His Comedy to Use on 'Nashville.' 

Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb Spend the Day on the Nashville Set

 
by claire heinichen

Panama City News HeraldOrganizers of the 2017 Pepsi SpringJam have announced additional acts for the second annual music festival.

If it’s Friday, that means one thing for Charles Esten: Time to release new music! The actor, best known for his role as singer Deacon Claybourne on the TV show Nashville, is also a singer offscreen — and he’s gotten crafty to let his fans hear some new tunes.

It looks like the stars of Nashville are settling nicely into their new home on CMT.

His baby girl was weak, and she had little red dots on her body.

Check out these great incentives for being a part of Team Addie!

Deacon Takes Fans Backstage on Facebook Live

The 3rd LIGHT THE LATE NIGHT Concert at 3rd & Lindsley and the 2nd Charles Esten Guided NASHVILLE Bus Tour are both in support of this years Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night

Find out how you can participate and support this great event!

Wednesday’s (July 13) Skyville Live salute to Music City featured dynamic performances by Chris Carmack, Mark Collie, Lennon & Maisy, J.D. Souther andPam Tillis plus new music announcements from Clare Bowen and Charles Esten.