{{short description|American singer-songwriter (1948–2006)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Sam Neely | image = Sam Neely.png | image_size = | landscape = | alt = | caption = Sam Neely in 1972 | background = solo_singer | birth_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date|1948|8|22}}{{citation needed|date=September 2022}} | birth_place = Cuero, Texas, U.S. | origin = | death_date = {{death date and age|2006|7|19|1948|8|22}} | death_place = Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S. | genre = Country, folk | occupation = Musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, performer | instrument = Guitar, vocals | years_active = 1958-1984 | label = A&M, Astro, Capitol, Elektra, MCA, Taliesyn | associated_acts = The Buckle <!-- this is a summary field only; if it's not mentioned in the article it shouldn't be listed here --> }}

'''Sam Neely''' (August 22, 1948 – July 19, 2006) was an American country and folk music musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and performer.

Born in Cuero, Texas, Neely began playing guitar at age ten. After moving with his family to Corpus Christi, Texas, he began playing in bands, including local group, Buckle. He made an appearance on the ''Merv Griffin Show'' in 1968 and was asked to write a song for the film, ''Tilt''; though the movie was not released until 1978, it did include Neely's track, "Long Road to Texas".<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p25305/biography|pure_url=yes}} Sam Neely] at Allmusic</ref>

Neely scored a string of minor hits in the 1970s on the country and pop charts and released a few albums which saw sales success. In 1978, he moved back to Corpus Christi and became the house musician for the Electric Eel. In 1983, he made a comeback on MCA Records.

On July 19, 2006, Neely collapsed and died while mowing his lawn at his home in Corpus Christi.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}} He was 57. A funeral mass was held at St. Patrick Catholic parish in Corpus Christi on July 23, 2006.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

==Select discography==

===Albums=== {|class="wikitable" !rowspan="2"|Year !rowspan="2"|Album !colspan="1"|Chart Positions |- !width="60"|<small>US<br /><ref name=amg1>[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p25305/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}} Billboard], Allmusic.com</ref></small> |- |1971 |''Long Road to Texas'' |align="center"|— |- |1972 |''Loving You Just Crossed My Mind'' |align="center"|147 |- |1973 |''Two'' |align="center"|175 |- |1974 |''Down Home'' |align="center"|202 |- |1981 |''Two of a Kind'' |align="center"|— |- |2000 |''Son of the South'' |align="center"|— |- |2002 |''Sam Neely'' |align="center"|— |}

===Singles=== {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;" |- !rowspan="2"|Year !rowspan="2"|Song !colspan="2"|Peak chart<br />positions |- style="font-size:smaller;" !width="45"|US Country !width="45"|US<br /><ref name="whitburn2010">{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Top Pop Singles 1955–2010|publisher=Record Research, Inc|page=27|year=2011|isbn=978-0-89820-188-8}}</ref> |- | 1972 |"Loving You Just Crossed My Mind" |align=center|— |align=center|29 |- |1973 |"Rosalie" |align=center|— |align=center|43 |- |rowspan=2|1974 |"Sadie Take a Lover" |align=center|— |align=center|103 |- |"You Can Have Her" |align=center|49 |align=center|34 |- |1975 |"Sanctuary (promo)" <ref>{{cite web | url=https://recordsale.de/en/artists/sam-neely/albums/sanctuary | title=Sanctuary - Sam Neely &#124; 7inch &#124; Recordsale }}</ref> |align=center|— |align=center|— |- |1975 |"I Fought the Law" |align=center|61 |align=center|54 |- |1977 |"Sail Away" |align=center|98 |align=center|84 |- |rowspan=2|1983 |"The Party's Over (Everybody's Gone)" |align=center|78 |align=center|— |- |"When You Leave That Way You Can Never Go Back" |align=center|77 |align=center|— |- |1984 |"Old Photographs" |align=center|81 |align=center|— |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{Discogs artist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Neely, Sam}} Category:1948 births Category:2006 deaths Category:Singer-songwriters from Texas Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:MCA Records artists Category:20th-century American singer-songwriters Category:People from Cuero, Texas Category:Country musicians from Texas