Renowned musician and longtime bandleader of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Cleto Escobedo III, has died at the age of 59. His passing was announced on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, by host Jimmy Kimmel via an emotional Instagram post:
“Early 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.”
Escobedo and Kimmel first met as children living across the street from one another in Las Vegas. Their bond began around age nine, inspired by shared interests and a mischievous sense of humour. In a 2022 interview, Escobedo recalled:
“We just met one day on the street… we kind of had the same sense of humor. We just became pals, and we’ve been pals ever since.”
Their longstanding friendship would ultimately evolve into a professional collaboration when Kimmel launched his late-night talk show.
Escobedo was a talented saxophonist proficient on alto, tenor, and soprano saxophones and had built a serious career in music before joining the show.
He toured with established artists including Paula Abdul, Marc Anthony, and contributed to sessions with names like Tom Scott and Take 6.
When the show began in 2003, Kimmel made a point of bringing Escobedo on board to lead the house band — Cleto and the Cletones.
The partnership was rooted not just in musical talent, but in the deep personal connection between the two men. Kimmel once said:
“Of course I wanted great musicians, but I wanted somebody I had chemistry with… and there’s nobody in my life I have better chemistry with than him.”
Escobedo also played alongside his father, Cleto Escobedo Jr., within the same band — making their collaboration on-screen something of a family affair.
Despite the high-profile nature of his role, Escobedo spoke in a 2022 interview about valuing stability for his family over the uncertainties of touring life:
“Touring and all that stuff is fun, but it’s more of a young man’s game… leaving your kids for so long… I’ve learned… sometimes they’re babies; you come back and then they’re talking, it’s like, ‘What?’”
He is survived by his wife Lori and their two children.
At age 59, Escobedo’s death came as a surprise. The exact cause has not been officially disclosed. The passing of such a central figure in the nightly rhythm of Jimmy Kimmel Live! has left both the host and many viewers in shock.
An episode scheduled for November 6 had been abruptly cancelled reportedly because of a “personal matter” related to the show which many now interpret in light of his illness.
Kimmel’s tribute on-air was profoundly emotional, noting that giving this monologue was the hardest of his career. In his Instagram post, Kimmel urged viewers:
“Cherish your friends and please keep Cleto’s wife, children and parents in your prayers.”
Cleto Escobedo III’s legacy is one of talent, loyalty, and friendship. From neighbourhood pals in Las Vegas to decades of nightly performance on national television, his life and work were intertwined with one of late-night television’s most recognisable shows. While his death is a significant loss, his impact —both personally to Jimmy Kimmel and musically to audiences will endure.
