An aspiring singer, Denise Waverly/Edna Buxton, sacrifices her own singing career to write hit songs that launch the careers of other singers. The film follows her life from her first break, through the pain of rejection from the recording industry and a bad marriage, to her final triumph in realizing her dream to record her own hit album.

When reporter Jean Craddock interviews Bad Blake — an alcoholic, seen-better-days country music legend — they connect, and the hard-living crooner sees a possible saving grace in a life with Jean and her young son. But can he leave behind an existence playing in the shadow of Tommy, the upstart kid he once mentored?

Following a very public fall from grace, country music star Faith Winters seeks refuge in her rural Texas hometown, where she rediscovers feelings for her high school sweetheart, the local pastor. But the homecoming is bittersweet.