Sam Neely(1948-2006)
- Soundtrack
Country music singer/songwriter Sam Neely was born on August 22, 1948
in Cuervo, Texas. Neely learned how to play guitar when he was ten and
moved with his family to Corpus Christi, Texas. At age fifteen Neely
was playing guitar in bands at local dances. He joined a group called
Buckle in 1966. Sam's professional music career started when at age
nineteen he gave some material to a movie producer who was asking for
song submissions for a film soundtrack. Neely contributed songs to the
soundtracks of the motion pictures "Bonnie's Kids" and "Tilt."
Moreover, Sam sang the song "The Party's Over (Farewell to M*A*S*H*)"
for "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen," which was the final episode of the
hit TV series "M*A*S*H*". Neely appeared as himself on the TV programs
"The Merv Griffin Show," "American Bandstand," "The Midnight Special,"
and "Nashville Now." Among the artists he performed on stage with are
Juice Newton, the Guess Who, Con Hanley, Janie Fricke, and John Conlee.
Sam had a Top 30 country chart hit with "Loving You Just Crossed My
Mind" while both "Rosalie" and "You Can Have Her" were Top 40 country
chart hits. Neely recorded albums on the MCA, Elektra, Capitol, and A&M
labels. He not only performed at the clubs the Palomino, the Bitter
End, and the Troubador, but also was the house musician at the club the
Electric Eel in Corpus Christi, Texas. In addition, Sam ran and owned
his own club called Neely's. He won a Golden Addy Award for a Coors
beer radio commercial. Neely was honored with a star on the South Texas
Music Walk of Fame on Water Street Market in 2005. Sam collapsed and
died while mowing his lawn at his home in Corpus Christi, Texas on July
19, 2006.