TMZ has learned "American Idol" musical director Rickey Minor will become the new Kevin Eubanks on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

We're told the announcement is supposed to be made tomorrow.

Minor has worked as a musical director for Beyonce, Ray Charles, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Whitney Houston and many others. He was also musical director for the Grammy Awards and the Super Bowl.

Eubanks is leaving the show late next month... exactly the same time "Idol" goes on hiatus.

UPDATE: NBC has officially confirmed TMZ's story ... Minor will debut on "The Tonight Show" on June 7.

http://www.tmz.com/2010/04/13/rickey-minor-the-tonight-show-jay-leno-kevin-eubanks-american-idol/

The Tonight Show just won't be the same without Kevin and his banter with Jay!! :( I do remember that years ago, Rickey Minor filled in for the band's then-bassist, whose wife was having a baby. That was back in the late 1990s!!

I was kinda hoping Branford Marsalis would come back. Anyway I hope Jay and Rickey Minor will be able to develop the same kind of rapport and timing that Jay and Kevin had. Kevin will certainly be missed.