Based on the 1980 screenplay by Latham and James Bridges, which had been adapted from a magazine article about Texas nightlife written by Latham, the plot focuses on Bud Davis, a country boy who moves to the big city for an oil refinery job and begins spending his nights at Gilley's, the local honky tonk, where he soon meets cowgirl Sissy.

[1] The unfavorable reviews described it as "vulgar and bland" and "assembled according to a low and specific assessment of audience expectations" [2] and "a musical whose creators weren't quite ready to get on the horse" filled with songs "used haphazardly and devoid of dramatic value".

[3] Directed by Lonny Price, the cast of mostly newcomers included Matt Cavenaugh and Jenn Colella, both making their Broadway debuts.

Also in the cast was Broadway veteran Sally Mayes who garnered a Drama Desk Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Corene.

The show was Tony Award-nominated for Best Choreography (Melinda Roy) and Best Original Score, with an unprecedented total of thirty composers and lyricists cited in the latter category.