'Nashville' casting for major new role

Nashville may have started production on its new season, but the CMT series is looking to add a major new character.

The network has put out a nationwide casting notice for the character of Clay, described as a 21-to-26-year-old African American musician in his mid-20s who is destined for great things: “He is a creative, self-aware, highly motivated young man who suffers intense mood swings, but is nonetheless charming and outgoing. His musical style is eclectic, with modern elements but also nods to roots black music, bluegrass, and even classic country.”

EW has learned that Clay is going to play an important role in season 5 and that new showrunners Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick are scripting Nashville‘s storylines toward a return to the show’s musical roots.

CMT’s Nashville debuts Jan. 5 on the cable network, with episodes streaming the day after they premiere on Hulu.