Kevin Bronson on August 31st, 2019

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Jason Bentley bade an emotional farewell to KCRW and its listeners on Friday, signing off as host of the station’s flagship show “Morning Becomes Eclectic” after almost 11 years.

Bentley had announced earlier this summer he would depart his positions as music director and MBE host at the influential FM outlet. On his watch, the listener-supported station continued its rise as an influencer in Los Angeles (and beyond) music. This spring, the station moved into the new, multi-million-dollar KCRW Media Center on the campus of Santa Monica College.

[Stream Bentley’s final MBE show here (spoiler: killer playlist).]

“If I could leave you with one final word, it’s to take care of this institution. Look after KCRW,” Bentley said on his final day. “It’s just real people and passion and love that make this whole thing operate. And, thank you.”

KCRW general manager Jennifer Ferro announced this week that four of the station’s current DJs will host “Morning Becomes Eclectic” for the remainder of 2019: Anne Litt in September; Garth Trinidad in October; Aaron Byrd in November; and Raul Campos in December.

“Some of our best voices and star DJs aren’t heard in the morning,” Ferro said. “As we search for the next MBE host, we are featuring the incredible talent we have on the KCRW team.”

Although Bentley served as both the station’s music director and MBE host, the positions are being split. A nationwide search is underway to fill the positions.