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>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 >clichéd 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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