Jimmy Fallon Debuts With Philadelphia-Grown House Band

By Melony Roy

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philly's own The Roots will serve as the house band for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, keeping the Philly connection alive in late night TV, and exposing America to a different kind of late-night music.

The Roots have served as the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, which aired at 12:35 in the morning, since that show's premiere in 2009.

But they are not your grandfather's house band. The Grammy Award-winning hip hop/neo soul band has collaborated with a wide range of artists from Erykah Badu to Elvis Costello.

The Roots have been an instrumental part of the show, participating in sketches like with Slow Jammin' the News, Freestylin, and recreating hit songs with the artists who sing them, accompanied by children's Classroom Instruments.

Roots drummer-- Questlove-- will be the new band leader following in the footsteps of another Philly native-- Kevin Eubanks--who worked with Jay Leno.