The Tonight Show Band

The Tonight Show Band refers to the house band on the American television variety show The Tonight Show, which has created an important showcase for jazz on American television. The Tonight Show Band has changed in form and composition since the program first aired in 1954. The Roots have been The Tonight Show Band since 2014 for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

History The first NBC Tonight band was on Tonight! Starring Steve Allen and was an expanded version of the band on the local New York Steve Allen Show (which had gone on the air in late July 1953). When the program went onto the NBC network, September 27, 1954, pianist Skitch Henderson was brought in as leader of the still-smallish ensemble band that had previously been led by swing era trombonist Bobby Byrne and included trumpeter Doc Severinsen. The network band included Severinsen, who played the program's closing theme, a melody of Allen's entitled "Tonight". He played that solo three times every night to accommodate the various affiliate stations that left the broadcast at different times: midnight, 12:30, and 1:00 AM Eastern time. The opening theme also was written by Allen, "Mister Moon". The band also included...