Hard luck follows Ted Taylor and his band, going to various auditions and tryouts, until he has to replace their tenor. To amplify his soft voice, he uses a megaphone, and it's instantly catnip to feminine ears. His employer, nightclub owner Nick Meyer, gives him a contract as his popularity rises. When it's up, and a better one's offered, publicity agent Peter Sturgis intervenes and gets him better deals, including making records and guesting top radio programs. Soon, it all goes to Taylor's head and he treats his band mates badly, as well as his girl, Judy Mason. After being caught by the tabloids spending time with a socialite, Judy dumps him. This leads to a downward spiral for Taylor, who gets into a drunken brawl, punching out a one-legged war veteran. He's ruined, brought down to being a sax player in a crummy restaurant band. humbled, he wishes Judy and Sturgis well for their upcoming marriage, but at the last second, Sturgis bows out.