Jon Batiste has decided to leave 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' after serving as a bandleader on the CBS show since 2014 when Colbert took over as a host.
- August 13, 2022
AceShowbiz - Jon Batiste quits "The Late Show". After serving as a bandleader on the programme since Stephen Colbert took over as host in 2014, the award-winning musician decided to leave in order to pursue other personal and professional interests.
"We've been so lucky to have a front row seat to Jon's incredible talent for the past seven years. And will we miss him here? 'Yeaaa!' But we're happy for you, Jon, and I can't wait to have you back on as guest with your next hit record," Stephen announced on the show on Thursday (11.08.22).
Louis Cato, who has served as interim bandleader this summer, is taking on the job on a permanent basis when "The Late Show" returns for its eighth season on 6 September and Stephen is delighted to have the "musical genius" in charge.
He said, "Louis has done a great job this summer, and he is very humble, so he won't say this. But I will. He's a musical genius. He can play basically every instrument over there. Give him an afternoon, he'll learn how to play Mozart on a shoehorn."
The musician will be joined by Joe Saylor, who, like Louis, has been with "The Late Show" since its launch, as well as longtime house band members Endea Owens, Jon Lampley, Louis Fouche, and Negah Santos.
The new bandleader is "genuinely excited" about what is to come. He said, "It has been one of the great honors of my life to work on this show, alongside some of the most talented musicians and creatives I know."
"Watching and learning from both Jon and Stephen for these past seven years, I'm genuinely excited to continue the tradition of excellence they've established."
