The young Benny Goodman (Steve Allen) is taught clarinet by a Chicago music professor. He is advised by bandleader Kid Ory to play whichever kind of music he likes best, but to make a living, Benny begins by joining the Ben Pollack traveling band. Later, in New York, where his new band gets a lukewarm reception, Benny meets jazz lover John Hammond (Herbert Anderson) and his sister Alice (Donna Reed). He is invited to the stately Hammond home to perform a Mozart clarinet concerto. Alice fears he will be embarrassed, but his playing is impeccable and Benny appreciates her concern. Benny's performances on a popular Saturday night radio program result in Fletcher Henderson (Sammy Davis, Sr.) volunteering to do some arrangements for him. On the West Coast, the radio show's early start has made Benny's music a sensation with a younger generation. He puts together a quartet featuring Gene Krupa on drums, Teddy Wilson on piano and Lionel Hampton on vibes. The romance with society girl Alice is disconcerting to Benny's mother, but by the time her son plays Carnegie Hall, all is well and Mrs. Goodman has personally invited her future daughter-in-law to sit by her side.