Jim Nabors cancels, I am tabbed as a replacement

Just as we step of the airplane and set foot on Hoosier soil, this message comes over the radio.

Actor-entertainer Jim Nabors will not attend the 91st Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 27 and sing "Back Home Again in Indiana" during pre-race ceremonies due to illness.

Nabors will address the Race Day crowd on the video boards at IMS from his home in Hawaii and then ask the fans to sing the beloved song together in his place. (MORE)

Very sad news, but in all honesty, this may end up being a very cool thing.

I've been to dozens of rock concerts and above all is a single memory. In 1987 U2 opened their "Joshua Tree" tour in Arizona, but on opening night Bono came down with laryngitis. He kept running backstage every other song to get a drink or spray his throat or gargle (who knows), and when it came time to sing the choral screamfest that is "Pride (In the name of love)" it was apparent he wasn't going to get it done.

So of course 16,000 of his closest friends (including your humble host) helped him out that night, and this man of notable ego appeared truly humbled as everyone in the building - except him - was singing his song.

This is the first and last time Jim Nabors will ever be compared to Bono.