Nellie Andreeva

Conan O’Brien this morning confirmed that his longtime bandleader, Max Weinberg, will not be leading the band he created in 1993 on Conan’s new eponymous late-night show on TBS, which premieres on November 8th. “Max has been a huge part of my life for the past 17 years and he is an incredible band leader and musician,” O’Brien said. “I hope he can find time to stop by the new show, sit in with the band, and pretend to find my monologue funny.”  Weinberg recalled how he met O’Brien “on a New York City street corner in the Spring of 1993,” adding, ”I wish Conan and his show the best and I do look forward to dropping by.”
 James Wormworth, who filled in for Weinberg when was away, will now replace him on the drums. The move mirrors the recent departure of Jay Leno’s long-time band leader Kevin Eubanks, who departed in May, soon after Leno returned to The Tonight Show.

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