Conan O’Brien revealed earlier this year that his TBS show “Conan” would be cut from an hour to 30 minutes long when it returns in 2019. The change means that musical guests will no longer appear on the show. Tonight, in a tearful on-air speech, Conan announced that his longtime house band is going away as well. Tonight, Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band played their final episode of “Conan.” “I can say this with confidence—I have been graced with the most versatile, loyal, and joyously effervescent band in the history of television,” Conan said. “To put it very simply, I love these guys.” The host later joined the band for a Chuck Berry cover. Watch his tribute and the band’s performance below.

The band was originally led by E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg and called the Max Weinberg 7 during Conan’s “Late Night” run. They’ve been a fixture of Conan’s shows since 1993. When Conan took over “The Tonight Show,” they were called Max Weinberg and the Tonight Show Band. After Conan left “The Tonight Show,” Vivino took over as band leader, joining Conan for his 2010 tour between late night shows. In addition to providing the soundtrack to every episode, the band members frequently appeared in sketches. Vivino was joined by Richie “La Bamba” Rosenberg, Mark Pender, Jerry Vivino, Scott Healy, James Wormworth, and Mike Merritt.

In November and December, Conan is heading up a stand-up tour called “Conan & Friends: An Evening of Stand-Up and Investment Tips.” Find tickets here. Conan also announced that he’s starting a new podcast called “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.” Soon, he’ll launch Conan 25—his archive of digitally remastered episodes.