Google finds Sam -- Sam Neely Forum

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Date Posted: 19:43:36 07/24/06 Mon
Author: Donnie Solinger (Wistful Don)
Subject: Google finds Sam

Over 30 years ago while living in New England I saw Sam Neely sing "Rosalie" on American Bandstand. His music moved me in much the same way as Jim Croce�s had. Croce had just been lost in a plane crash. I had a new musical hero. I bought the album (Neely 2) and listened to it exclusively for months. I soon bought a guitar and started learning the chords so I could play and sing along.
Then I loaned the record to a girlfriend and never saw it again. I was never able to replace it. Over the years I've though of Sam and Rosalie often and what a shame it was that such a gifted singer/songwriter was not making records anymore - or so I thought. I even wrote a few songs with him in mind as the singer. A few months ago I decided to do a Google search for Sam and there he was. Hallelujah! I wrote to the link on the website and told him my story and he wrote back. You can't imagine what a thrill it was for me to find out that he was still making music and what's more he was nice enough to correspond with me. What a great guy! I saved all his emails, some written just days before we lost him.
I sent for "Neely 2", "Son of the South", and "Sam Neely" The CD's came and I've been listening to them as I drive around in my big truck every day. Such a rush it was to hear those songs from the 70's again - instead of the old, barely audible tapes still in my head from way back then. The new stuff was pure Sam. This is feel good music. I couldn't wait to tell him how much I liked it. I was tickled that I would have a cyber-relationship with one of my musical hero's after all this time.
Then I pulled up the website Friday morning and there was the chilling epitaph. Shocked seems almost too clich�d but the grief I'm feeling is real.
It�s like I�ve lost a friend that I never met. Yet from the testimonials I�ve been reading I�m finding out that Sam was the kind of person who could make everyone feel like his best friend. For that I admire him even more.
My heart goes out to his children and family members, soul mates, friends and all those who knew and loved him. I believe he was a rare and special person whose loss will be felt for a long, long time.
Suddenly his words ring all too true � �I guess this world�s not what it�s supposed to be�. But in a sense I feel blessed that I was able to have this brief interlude with him. I have all the CD�s now and will always cherish these past few months when one of my idols became my friend � kind of.

Donnie Solinger
Blandon, PA

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Replies:

Re: Google finds Sam -- R. Fitz (sad), 12:47:28 08/09/06 Wed