In Winchester, Virginia, in 1956, Charlie Dick attends a dance with his date, Wanda. When singer Patsy Cline takes the stage, Charlie is mesmerized. However, his friend informs Charlie that Patsy is married. Undeterred, Charlie asks Patsy to have a drink with him, but she dismisses him saying, “People in hell want ice water.” She returns home to her steady, but unexciting husband, Gerald, and later tells her mother, Hilda Hensley, that she is unhappy with him. When she performs at a local bar, Charlie attends, standing at her feet while she performs. He apologizes afterward for annoying her, but then insults her, which piques her interest. She lets him buy her a drink, and dances with him. After, they sit in Charlie’s car and share their dreams. Charlie dances with Patsy in the parking lot, and they return to Charlie’s car to make love. Sometime later, Patsy excitedly tells her mother that she has left her husband. Before long, Charlie and Patsy get married. In time, she makes a television appearance on a talent show, and Charlie watches, filled with pride. Patsy wins the competition, records an album, and her popularity grows. In time, Charlie is drafted into the Army and is stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Patsy becomes depressed without him. She buys herself a new automobile, and drives to Fort Bragg to visit him, and they spend a lust-filled weekend in a motel. Patsy tours the country with her band, while Charlie continues serving in the Army. On the road, Patsy discovers she is pregnant, and leaves the tour to move to Fort Bragg to be with Charlie. One day, Charlie’s temper flairs, and he punches Patsy in the face. She leaves him, and moves in with her mother. When she goes into labor, Charlie rushes to be at her side, but when he arrives, she tells him it was only a false alarm. The reunited couple passionately kiss, and reconcile. However, Charlie goes out drinking, and has a fling with his former girl friend, Wanda, missing the birth of his daughter, Julie. Patsy’s mother curses Charlie. He returns to Fort Bragg, and tries to convince Patsy to move back there with him, but she refuses, choosing to return to her singing. Her even temper infuriates Charlie, and he leaves the base, without permission, to see her. In the middle of a rainy night, he drives Patsy to the parking lot where they once danced, and begs her to profess her undying love. In time, Patsy reignites her singing career, with the help of her new manager, Randy Hughes. She records another album, which becomes a hit, and performs at the “Grand Ole Opry.” She and Charlie have a son named Randy, and their relationship improves. While Patsy drives to the store with her brother, John, they are broadsided by a truck, and Patsy suffers serious injuries. Her face is horribly scarred, but she takes it in stride, and returns to the recording studio. She buys a new home for her family, and returns from a performance to find Charlie carousing with other women. Patsy remains unfazed by his antics, but when he later flirts with a woman in front of Patsy, she retaliates by going out for coffee with another man. When she returns home, Charlie calls her a whore, and beats her. Patsy telephones police and has Charlie arrested. She asks her mother if she should divorce Charlie, and returns to the recording studio. After he is released from jail, Charlie goes to the studio and pleads for forgiveness. Patsy remains distrustful, and needs time to consider. She flies with her band to perform at a benefit in Kansas City, Kansas. While flying home through stormy weather, manager Randy Hughes’s small plane crashes into the ground, and everyone on board is killed. Charlie is heartbroken at the news.