If you perform it live, they will come.
That’s what “Nashville” hopes for its Season 3 premiere Wednesday (10 p.m. on ABC) — which in a first for the show, features cast members singing live within the broadcast.
Charles Esten, who plays Deacon Claybourne, and Chris Carmack (Will Lexington) — plus musical guest Florida Georgia Line — will each take the stage twice, for the East Coast and West Coast airings, at the set’s replica of Nashville’s famed Bluebird Cafe.
“Not only is it interesting and exciting in that anything-can-happen kind of way, but it’s also a piece of what our show is, which is about live music and about it being real and actually being us — no smoke, no mirrors, no auto-tune,” Esten tells The Post.
The stunt is also a bid to get “Nashville” viewers to watch live. The soapy drama is heavily time-shifted, averaging 7.9 million viewers last season with seven days of DVR viewing factored in — up from 4.8 million who watch “Nashville” the night it airs.
The series has previously spotlighted the musical talents of its stars — who all sing their own vocals.
April’s “On the Record” concert special had them perform songs from the show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and last spring several cast members — including Esten and Carmack — went on a sold-out, four-city tour.
“That tour really helped us understand and appreciate the interest from our audience to see us perform live,” Carmack says.
On Wednesday, Carmack — whose character is reeling from finally coming out as gay to wife Layla at the end of Season Two — will sing “If It’s Love” by frequent “Nashville” songwriting duo Striking Matches.
“This is a love song that may or may not go over too well with her,” he says. “It’s about how somebody needs to be even closer to somebody and they need to breathe them in, and all Will has been doing is pushing Layla away for so long, so it’s a very duplicitous performance.”
Esten will play guitar on Florida Georgia Line’s rendition of “Dirt” and, for his solo live appearance, will perform a song he co-wrote with Deanna Carter, “I Know How to Love You Now.”
Though fans will recognize the title from Deacon’s proposal to Rayna (Connie Britton) in the second season finale, Esten says the song actually came first — and wasn’t written about the characters.
But when “Nashville” creator Callie Khouri heard it, she asked to use the title line in the proposal scene. Rayna is still contemplating that proposal in the season premiere as she is torn between two men — her country music star beau Luke Wheeler (Will Chase) and star-crossed lover Deacon.
“The decision comes quickly,” Esten says, declining to specify which episode. “Some people might be surprised by that.”
While he can’t reveal how Deacon is handling her decision, he notes his character developed a strength last season that will carry him through — whomever Rayna chooses.
“The very thing that makes him think he would be a good husband, it’s authentic,” Esten says.
“We’ll see if that leads him to be one or leads him to handle not being one.”