Hollywood talent scout Sue Warner is in search of a singing cowboy. She discovers cattle rancher Gene Autry and offers him a contract. In danger of losing his herd and ranch from financial problems, Gene agrees to go to Hollywood if there is a part for his horse Champion, unaware that the producers only want to use his voice in an animated cartoon. After the preview, in which he feels ridiculed because his character is a donkey, he and Champ depart in a huff. The annoyed Sue also follows and gets work on Gene's ranch as a cook. Later, the studio heads, while looking at Gene's screen test, decide he is a natural and want to sign him to a contract. After a few misunderstandings, Gene realizes that Sue is sincere, and he signs a contract to star in a musical western, but first he has to stop a cattle stampede and rout a gang of rustlers trying to blow up his ranch dam.
