Kevin Eubanks farewells Jay Leno

Jay Leno‘s musical director Kevin Eubanks has bid farewell to The Tonight Show after 18 years, making way for former American Idol musical director Rickey Minor.

Eubanks’ last episode aired in Australia last night.

His final appearance included playing the guitar with the instrumental “Adoration” surrounded by signs of tribute from the Tonight Show staff to him, and his name “Kev” in lights behind him.

Leno introduced him as “an incredible musician and one of the best damn guitar players you’ll ever find.”

Eubanks will be replaced by Idol‘s Rickey Minor who had his own final show on the reality series last week, but unlike Simon Cowell, got no on-air acknowledgement.

In part, Minor said of the ommission, “The show ran out of time. It was up on the screen to thank me, but it’s hit or miss if we run over and you can bet that the finale is going to run over. But we’re all good.”

The Tonight Show is now in hiatus for a week and returns to the Comedy Channel with new episodes next Tuesday.

“The theme song is already written, and now it’s just writing more music and preparing for these weeks,” said Minor. “I have to go over my catalog of over 5,000 songs with various artists that I’ve worked with, and take a look at the guest list, the pacing of the show and just make sure that it has the right tone and that immediate energy. We have to come out the gate on fire. I also have over 75 artists who have called me saying they’d love to come on the show and just hang out — various artists from jazz legends like Herbie to Snoop to Shania Twain. It could be any genre of music and we’re going to create some great music moments, because that’s what I do.”

Source: EW.com, LA Times