The film stars David Carradine as folk singer Woody Guthrie, with Ronny Cox, Melinda Dillon, Gail Strickland, John Lehne, Ji-Tu Cumbuka and Randy Quaid.

[3] Much of the film is based on Guthrie's attempt to humanize the desperate Okie Dust Bowl refugees in California during the Great Depression.

Subsequently, Guthrie begins painting a sign but frustrates his wife, Mary, by abandoning the task—their only reliable source of income—to engage in music instead.

On his porch, he encounters Heavy Chandler, a recently released mental patient, and encourages him to express his thoughts through painting.

When a fight breaks out, Guthrie and Slim jump to another train; however, railroad enforcers compel those without money to disembark.

In Los Angeles, he meets Luther and Liz Johnson, a migrant couple struggling to find employment.

Although Guthrie initially acquiesces, he eventually resumes performing protest songs, resulting in conflict with Locke.

Upon returning to Los Angeles, Locke extends one final opportunity to Guthrie, but he is terminated once again after dedicating a song to farm workers.

As Guthrie departs, Ozark informs him that an agent has arranged a coast-to-coast radio show for him and secured an audition at the prestigious Ambassador Hotel.

During the hotel audition, the owner offers him a position but insists on dressing him in overalls and presenting him as part of a hillbilly act.

Refusing to cater to the wealthy, Guthrie walks out, returns to the railroad yard, hops on a train, and resumes singing protest songs from the top of a boxcar, remaining true to his roots.

with appearances by Arthur Krim of United Artists agreed to finance the film on the basis of Ashby's reputation, even before a star had signed on.

[7] The Academy Award-winning score was released internationally in 1976 by United Artists Records, in an album containing Leonard Rosenman's music and Woody Guthrie's songs with David Carradine in the vocals.