Bobby, the youngest child, adores his mother and fears his drunken father, who is kind when sober. When he’s sixteen, Bobby confronts his dad who backs down. Bobby’s musical talent is developed by a voice trainer and he’s accepted in Chicago’s Lyric Opera. His mother takes him to church and he avoids drugs, but he is morally loose, fathering various children. At 28 he signs a record contract, getting a financial bonus that he spends on himself and his mother’s house. Six months later she dies, leaving him bereft as the first part ends.