...he was one of a few icons of my generation, my older brother's, and the one before his.
Leno's okay. Letterman's top-notch. But both bow down to the skill of Carson who was equally adept with his opening monologue, the skits and such, and conducting a good interview.
As one reviewer said, "the music" may have "died" for some when Buddy Holly's plane fell in Iowa, but TV died for all of us when Bette Midler sang Johnny into retirement in 92... and today, it was buried.
Godspeed, Johnny.