{"id":49044,"date":"2025-11-12T03:06:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T03:06:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/49044\/"},"modified":"2025-11-12T03:06:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T03:06:12","slug":"cleto-escobedo-iii-jimmy-kimmel-bandleader-and-longtime-friend-dies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/49044\/","title":{"rendered":"Cleto Escobedo III, Jimmy Kimmel bandleader and longtime friend, dies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cleto Escobedo III, the bandleader of Cleto and the Cletones, the house band for \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!,\u201d<\/a> has died. The musician and lifelong friend of Kimmel was 59. <\/p>\n

Kimmel confirmed Escobedo\u2019s death early Tuesday morning in an Instagram post<\/a> later that day, writing that \u201cwe lost a great friend, father, son, musician and man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo say that we are heartbroken is an understatement,\u201d Kimmel continued. \u201cCleto 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\u2019s wife, children and parents in your prayers.\u201d<\/p>\n

The news of Escobedo\u2019s death comes after \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d was abruptly canceled Thursday , reportedly due to a \u201cpersonal matter.\u201d<\/a> The cause of Escobedo\u2019s death was not immediately released.<\/p>\n

Escobedo had led the band through the late-night show since its premiere in 2003, playing alongside a group of musicians that included his father, Cleto Escobedo Jr. <\/p>\n

Escobedo was an accomplished professional musician, having toured with Earth, Wind and Fire\u2019s Philip Bailey and Paula Abdul and recorded with Marc Anthony, Tom Scott and Take Six. When Kimmel got his own ABC late-night talk show in 2003, he pushed for Escobedo to lead the house band, he told WABC<\/a> in 2015. <\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I wanted great musicians, but I wanted somebody I had chemistry with,\u201d Kimmel told the outlet. \u201cAnd there\u2019s nobody in my life I have better chemistry with than him.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an August 2016 episode, Kimmel wished Escobedo a happy 50th birthday and highlighted his long-standing relationship with the musician. They met in 1977 when Kimmel\u2019s family moved in across the street from the Escobedos in Las Vegas. \u201cWe began a lifetime of friendship that was highlighted by the kind of torture that only an older brother can inflict on you without being arrested,\u201d Kimmel said before sharing a series of stories about their sibling-like bond and Escobedo\u2019s antics.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t wait till your kids turn 12 and see this, and find out their father is a secret maniac,\u201d Kimmel said. The host also shared photos of them as children, including one of Escobedo playing the saxophone and Kimmel playing the clarinet.<\/p>\n

In addition to his father and other family members, Escobedo is survived by his wife, Lori, and their two children.<\/p>\n

The Associated Press contributed to this report.<\/p>\n