{"id":286216,"date":"2025-11-11T23:24:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T23:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/286216\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T23:24:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T23:24:07","slug":"cleto-escobedo-iii-was-59","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/286216\/","title":{"rendered":"Cleto Escobedo III Was 59"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tCleto Escobedo III<\/a>, Jimmy Kimmel<\/a>\u2018s close friend and the bandleader of his talk show, has died. He was 59.<\/p>\n

\n\tKimmel shared the news on Instagram<\/a>, writing, \u201cEarly this morning, we lost a great friend, father, son, musician and man, my longtime bandleader Cleto Escobedo III. 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\u2019s wife, children and parents in your prayers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tEscobedo and Kimmel were childhood friends and neighbors growing up in Las Vegas. As Kimmel went into comedy, Escobedo formed the band Cleto and the Cletones in 1995, mostly playing saxophone. When Kimmel launched \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d on ABC in 2003, he asked Escobedo to lead the house band. \u201cI always thank him for this gig because he could have tried to get somebody that was established and would help the show more, being a bigger name or whatever,\u201d Escobedo told ABC7 in a 2013 interview<\/a>. \u201cBut he trusted me with this job, and I\u2019ve tried to do the best I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tEscobedo\u2019s cause of death is unknown, but Variety has confirmed that his condition was the \u201cpersonal reason\u201d Kimmel\u2019s show was abruptly canceled on Thursday. \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d returned on Monday with a new episode, and will also broadcast a new episode on Tuesday, with Kimmel expected to address his friend and bandleader\u2019s passing.<\/p>\n

\n\tEscobedo played the alto, tenor and soprano saxophones and also sang as part of the band. Outside of performing on Kimmel\u2019s show, Escobedo toured with Paula Abdul, Marc Anthony and Earth, Wind & Fire\u2019s Phillip Bailey. Escobedo\u2019s father, Cleto Escobedo Jr., is also a part of the \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d house band.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn 2016, Kimmel celebrated Escobedo\u2019s 50th birthday on air with a tribute<\/a>: \u201cI met Cleto in January of 1977 when my family moved from Brooklyn to Las Vegas. Cleto lived across the street from us\u2026 We 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<\/p>\n