James Thurston Nabors (June 12th, 1930 – November 30th, 2017) was an American actor, singer, and comedian, who was widely known for his signature character, the good-natured, unsophisticated Gomer Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show. The character proved so popular that Nabors was given his own successful spin-off show, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Nabors also became a popular guest on variety shows that showcased his rich baritone singing voice in the 1960's and 1970's, including frequent appearances on the Carol Burnett Show and two specials of his own in 1969 and 1974. He signed a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1965 and subsequently recorded numerous albums and singles, most of them containing romantic ballads and additionally recorded for Ranwood Records during the late 1970's.
Nabors was also known for singing "Back Home Again in Indiana" before the start of the Indianapolis 500, held annually on the Memorial Day weekend. He sang the unofficial Indiana anthem almost every year from 1972 to 2014, except for occasional absences due to illness or scheduling conflicts.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
During the 1981 Parade, he took a ride on Macy's REO Delivery Truck and sung "Christmas Time All Over the World" when arriving at Herald Square.