Iris Cooper grew up dirt-poor in Texas. Her mother left when she was a baby, leaving her to be raised by her rodeo cowboy dad, who was too interested in beer, whisky and women to be a good father to her or to provide what she needed. On top of her innocent beauty, Iris has a rare gift: she has the voice of an angel. After singing in downtrodden bars across the state from the age of twelve, and then many years on the road with different bands suffering at the hands of greedy managers with no scruples, she finally gets a lucky break when she meets Boy, another talented singer, in Jackson Hole. Together they make their way to New York, where Iris's talent is recognized and nurtured by one of the top agents in the business.
A star is born, and Iris finally gets the success she deserves. But then tragedy strikes, and through it Iris discovers another kind of love.
