As the film opens on an Oklahoma farm during the Great Depression, two events occur simultaneously: a devastating dust storm and a wildly driven convertible. The driver is Red, the wife's brother, a roguish country-western musician who has just been invited to audition for the Grand Ole Opry, his one and only chance at becoming a success. However, he is far from well - plagued by tuberculosis and broke. At 14, Whit, eager to avoid "growing up to be a cotton picker all my life," begs Ma to let him go with Uncle Red as his driver and protege. This leads to a hilarious yet poignant journey that takes them through both the joys and hardships of life in rural America.