Singer/songwriter Sam Neely was another talented performer with all the makings of a star, but who never became one. He was born in Cuero, Texas and began playing guitar at age ten, and made his professional debut within a year. He moved to Corpus Christi with his family and at age 15 began playing in local bands. In 1966, while playing with an area rock band called Buckle, Neely entered his first recording studio. In 1968, he was appearing on the Merv Griffin show when he met a movie producer looking for a composer to score his newest film, Tilt. The movie didn't come out until 1978, but it did feature Neely's song "Long Road to Texas." In 1972, he released the single "Loving You Just Crossed My Mind," which made it to the Top 30; his next single, "Rosalie," became a mid-range hit in 1973. In 1974 he found success on the pop and country charts with "You Can Have Her," which peaked around the middle of both lists. Neely had a couple more minor hits during the 1970s, but never fared much better. In 1978, he returned to Corpus Christi, where he became the house act at an area club, the Electric Eel. Eventually Neely opened his own nightclub, where he was spotted by MCA's Roger Ramsey. He signed to the label in 1983 and appeared on the charts three more times with tunes such as "You Can Never Go Back." ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
