Stars on Broadway - Morgan Wallen

Chapter 58 - Back to Nashville

The drive back to Nashville was quieter than Georgie had expected. The mountains of Gatlinburg faded into the distance, and with each passing mile, the weight of returning to her life in the city became more real. Morgan was beside her, his hand resting on her knee, offering silent comfort as the familiar skyline of Music City began to come into view.

It had been months since Georgie had taken a step back from her career to be with her family. Months since her father had passed. She wasn't sure how she felt about stepping back into the spotlight, but she knew she couldn't stay hidden away forever. She had made a promise to her father, and she intended to keep it.

As they pulled into her driveway, the familiar hum of Nashville life hit her like a wave. The noise, the energy—it was all there, waiting for her. But this time, it felt different. The world had kept turning while she had been in Gatlinburg, but Georgie had been frozen in time, stuck in her grief.

Morgan parked the car, and they sat in silence for a moment. "You okay?" he asked gently.

Georgie nodded, but her heart was heavy. "Yeah... it's just strange being back. Everything's the same, but everything's different, too."

Morgan squeezed her hand. "You'll find your way. One step at a time."

Georgie smiled softly, grateful for his support. She knew this wouldn't be easy, but she also knew she wasn't alone.

Later that afternoon, Georgie sat in the familiar conference room at her record label's office. Her manager, Anna, was there, along with a few executives from the label. They had called this meeting as soon as they heard she was coming back to town, and though Georgie wasn't sure what to expect, she had a feeling they wanted to talk about her next steps.

"First off, Georgie, welcome back," Anna said with a warm smile. "We've missed you around here."

Georgie nodded, still feeling a bit out of place. "Thanks. It's good to be back... I think."

Anna and the label executives exchanged glances before one of the executives leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "We've been talking about your return, and we have an idea we'd like to pitch to you. Obviously, we want to respect where you're at emotionally, but we think this could be a really meaningful way to honor your father."

Georgie felt her chest tighten slightly, but she nodded for him to continue.

"We know you've been working on some tribute songs—songs you wrote for your dad. We've heard from Pete about how powerful they are, and we'd like to release them as a special EP. Something that honors your father's legacy, but also allows your fans to connect with the story behind the music."

Georgie sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the proposal sinking in. She had poured her heart into those songs—songs like Daddy's Love and Goodbye, Daddy were deeply personal. The idea of sharing them with the world felt overwhelming, but at the same time, it felt right. Her father had always wanted her to keep singing, to share her voice with the world.

"I think that could be a really beautiful way to honor him," Georgie said quietly, her voice steady despite the emotions swirling inside her.

The executives smiled, encouraged by her response. "We're glad you think so. We believe this EP could really resonate with your audience. And we have one more idea... We'd like to follow the EP release with a tribute concert. A live event where you can perform these songs, along with some of your previous hits. It would be a way to connect with your fans again and celebrate your return."

Georgie's heart pounded in her chest. A tribute concert felt like a huge step forward, one she wasn't sure she was ready to take. Performing those songs live, in front of an audience, felt more vulnerable than she had ever been on stage.