‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Bandleader Cleto Escobedo III Dead at 59
Cleto Escobedo III, the longtime bandleader of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and one of the host’s oldest friends, has died at the age of 59. The news was confirmed by Jimmy Kimmel, who shared an emotional statement on Instagram on Wednesday afternoon. A cause of death has not been released.
“Early this morning, we lost a great friend, father, son, musician and man,” Kimmel wrote alongside a photo of Escobedo playing his saxophone. “To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement. Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old. The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true. Cherish your friends and please keep Cleto’s wife, children and parents in your prayers.”
The news followed the unexpected cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s Nov. 6 taping, which Entertainment Weekly reported had been replaced by a rerun due to a “personal matter” involving the host.
Escobedo and Kimmel’s friendship stretched back to their childhood in Las Vegas. The two grew up on the same street, where their shared sense of humor and love of mischief forged a lifelong bond. In a 2016 segment celebrating Escobedo’s 50th birthday, Kimmel recalled their earliest adventures together: “Cleto had a bicycle with a sidecar attached to it. We called it the side hack. I would get in the sidecar, and then Cleto would drive me directly into garbage cans and bushes.”
That bond carried into their professional lives decades later. When Jimmy Kimmel Live! premiered in 2003, Kimmel chose Escobedo to lead the show’s house band, Cleto and the Cletones. Escobedo, known for his effortless charisma and mastery of the saxophone, quickly became a beloved presence in late-night television.
Before joining Kimmel on ABC, Escobedo had already built a thriving career as a professional musician. He played alto, tenor, and soprano saxophone and often sang during performances. His versatility earned him work with some of pop and R&B’s biggest names, including Paula Abdul, Marc Anthony, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
In addition to his television work, Escobedo’s family background in music shaped much of his artistry. His father, also a saxophonist, performed alongside him in Cleto and the Cletones, and the pair maintained a close relationship both onstage and off. “Nineteen years of this!! Love ya, Dad,” Escobedo wrote in a 2022 Instagram post celebrating their shared journey on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Behind the scenes, colleagues described him as one of the kindest people in the building, someone who treated everyone, from guest stars to stagehands, with warmth and generosity. His presence helped define the tone of a show that has now run for more than two decades.
Cleto Escobedo III’s death leaves a profound void not only in late-night television but in the wider music community. For Kimmel, the loss is deeply personal, the end of a creative partnership that began long before Hollywood fame.
Though his name may not have been as widely recognized as the celebrities who graced his stage, Escobedo’s music, humor, and spirit were integral to the DNA of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and to the lives of those who knew him best.
