cleto escobedo: Cleto Escobedo III, Jimmy Kimmel’s lifelong friend and the bandleader of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, passes away at 59
Saxophonist and bandleader Cleto Escobedo III helped shape the sound and spirit of Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the very first episode.
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Kimmel shared the difficult news on Tuesday, November 11, and wrote a tribute reflecting a lifetime of closeness, creativity, and unforgettable memories.
“Early this morning we lost my longtime band leader Cleto Escobedo III, a great friend, father, son, musician and man,” Kimmel wrote. “To say we are heartbroken is an understatement. Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old. Having to work together every day is a dream neither of us could have imagined coming true. Love your friends and please keep Cleto’s wife, children, and parents in your prayers.”
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The news comes just days after the late-night show’s Nov. 6 taping was postponed due to a “personal matter” involving the host, as confirmed by Entertainment Weekly.
The cause of death has not been made public at this time.
How Jimmy Kimmel honored his friend
Kimmel’s tribute was emotional and rooted in their shared history, which began in childhood and extends to national television. During the 2016 episode celebrating Escobedo’s 50th birthday, Kimmel touched on the kind of memories only lifelong friends can share, People reports.
He recalled that Escobedo had a bike with a sidecar, known among his friends as a “side hack.” Kimmel joked at the time: “I was getting in the cart and then Cleto was driving me right into the trash cans and bushes.” There were also moments of teenage mischief, such as Escobedo sitting on the grass “shooting at me with his BB gun” and the duo “throwing a kite out of the sky” after sneaking away his father’s shotgun. Kimmel even recalled the prank days when “Cleto would quietly get out of his pants in the back and moon people from the back of our car.”
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Shared with love and laughter, these stories painted a picture of a bond forged long before the advent of television, People reports.
How far back does Jimmy Kimmel and Cleto’s friendship go?
Their relationship began when they were nine years old, long before either of them dreamed of working in show business. Escobedo was “a child prodigy,” as Kimmel once recalled. “The whole school would gather to watch. There would be a standing ovation. It was crazy.”
Music was not just a talent for Escobedo, it was a path. “Earth, Wind and Fire toured with Paula Abdul” and “got her own record deal” before joining Kimmel on air. When Jimmy Kimmel Live! Introduced in 2003, the group leader role was not without controversy. “I’ll tell you something. Cleto was supposed to be my group leader,” Kimmel said, according to People.
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What role did Cleto play on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Cleto and the Cletones became a key part of the show’s identity, blending musicianship with chemistry that fans quickly embraced. Cleto’s father, Cleto Escobedo Sr. He also played in the band, playing tenor and alto saxophone. In January 2022, the father-son duo marked a meaningful milestone when Cleto shared, “It’s been 19 years!! I love you, dad.”
Kimmel recalled pushing to bring his friend to the show, admitting: “I was nervous because I thought they were going to say, ‘We don’t want your friend to be the group leader.'” That fear faded when the ABC president saw and “liked” her performance, People reports.
For Kimmel, having Cleto by his side wasn’t just a professional choice, it was a personal one. “Of course I wanted great musicians, but I wanted someone I had chemistry with. And there’s no one in my life that I have better chemistry with.”
This bond now stands as a legacy of friendship, loyalty and shared dreams come true. Kimmel asked fans to keep Escobedo’s family in mind during this heartbreaking time.
“Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old,” she wrote, according to a report from People; that sentence now feels like both a tribute and a farewell to our lifelong companion, whose music and presence have shaped late-night television for nearly two decades.
FAQ
Who was Cleto Escobedo III?
He was a childhood friend of Jimmy Kimmel and the leader of the house band, Cleto and the Cletones, on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Since 2003.
How did Jimmy Kimmel react?
Kimmel paid a heartfelt tribute, saying, “To say we are heartbroken would be an understatement.”
