On Tuesday, November 11, Jimmy Kimmel made the announcement that his longtime friend and the leader of his show’s band, Cleto Escobedo III, passed away at 59 years old.
The talk show host, 57, shared a statement on Instagram, writing, “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.”
Kimmel referred to working with his childhood friend on Jimmy Kimmel Live! as “a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true.”
He finished by telling his followers to “Cherish your friends and please keep Cleto’s wife, children and parents in your prayers.”
Keep scrolling to discover more about Escobedo:
Jimmy Kimmel and Cleto Escobedo III Have Been Friends for Decades
The comedian revealed on Tuesday that he and Cleto Escobedo III have been “inseparable since I was 9 years old.” Jimmy Kimmel and Escobedo both grew up in the same Las Vegas neighborhood after Kimmel’s 1977 move.
“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,” Kimmel joked on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2016, when Escobedo reached the age of 50. He remembered times when Escobedo would place him in the sidecar of his bike and “drive me directly into a garbage can,” in addition to other antics.
To honor Kimmel’s birthday, Escobedo shared a throwback photo of the two in November 2018. The duo seemed to be at a garage sale with a couple of older women in the picture.
Cleto Escobedo III and Jimmy Kimmel as teenagers. Courtesy of Cleto Escobedo III/Instagram
Cleto Escobedo III Led the ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Band
Since the talk show’s debut in 2003, Escobedo’s band, Cleto and the Cletones, has been a part of Jimmy Kimmel Live! — something Kimmel envisioned from the start.
Kimmel told ABC7 in 2015, in reference to how Escobedo got the job, “I was nervous, because I thought they’d say, ‘We don’t want your friend to be the band leader.’ So, I took the president of ABC [Lloyd Braun] to see him play with his band, and he loved it.”
Escobedo, in the meantime, was aware that he “had to be very versatile” once Kimmel called him regarding the position. He told International Musician in 2018 that he needed to be able to “play every kind of music and play things on the fly” in order to keep the job.
Cleto Escobedo III Was a Touring Musician
Escobedo had his own record deal before working for Kimmel. Alongside guitarist Toshi Yangagi, bassist Jimmy Earl, keyboard player Jeff Babko, and drummer Jonathan Dresel, he established Cleto and the Cletones in 1995. His father, Cleto Escobedo Jr., joined the group later on after playing saxophone in a rock and soul band in the 1960s.
Before taking on the role of bandleader for Live!, Escobedo toured with performers like Earth, Wind and Fire, Paula Abdul, and Marc Anthony.
Cleto Escobedo III Is the Father of 2
Before his passing, Escobedo had two children: Jesse, a daughter, and Cruz, a son.
“I love a lot of people on this earth, but this little girl changed my life when she came into this world ten years ago,” the proud father shared via Instagram in May 2019 for his daughter’s birthday. “I never REALLY knew what love was ‘till you looked at me. You ARE my world Jesse! Happy birthday my precious girl!!!! Happy 10th birthday!!! Love, Daddy.”
Escobedo posted a tribute to his son on Instagram in July 2021, writing, “Happy Birthday to our boy!! We love you so much!!”
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