{"id":15533,"date":"2025-11-12T06:42:58","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T10:42:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/cleto-escobedo-jimmy-kimmels-childhood-best-friend-and-22-year-bandleader-dies-at-59\/"},"modified":"2025-11-12T06:43:36","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T10:43:36","slug":"28136-cleto-escobedo-jimmy-kimmel-s-childhood-best-friend-and-22-year-bandleader-dies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/28136-cleto-escobedo-jimmy-kimmel-s-childhood-best-friend-and-22-year-bandleader-dies\/","title":{"rendered":"Cleto Escobedo, Jimmy Kimmel&#8217;s childhood best friend and 22-year bandleader, dies at 59"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style='font-size: 1.1em;font-weight: 500;line-height: 1.6'><b>Cleto Escobedo III<\/b>, <b>Jimmy Kimmel Live!<\/b>&#8216;s beloved bandleader and <b>59<\/b>, has died. <b>Escobedo<\/b> was <b>Kimmel<\/b>&#8216;s childhood best friend since age <b>9<\/b> in <b>Las Vegas<\/b>. He led the house band <b>Cleto and the Cletones<\/b> for <b>22 years<\/b> on the show.<\/p>\n<div style='background-color: #f8f9fa;border-left: 4px solid #e74c3c;padding: 15px;margin: 20px 0'>\n<p style='margin: 0;font-weight: 600'>\ud83d\udd25 Quick Facts:<\/p>\n<ul style='margin: 10px 0 0 0;padding-left: 20px'>\n<li><b>Cleto Escobedo III<\/b> died from complications following a <b>liver transplant<\/b>.<\/li>\n<li>He and <b>Kimmel<\/b> grew up as neighbors across the street in <b>Las Vegas<\/b>.<\/li>\n<li><b>Escobedo<\/b> led <b>Cleto and the Cletones<\/b> for <b>22 years<\/b> since <b>2003<\/b>.<\/li>\n<li>He was a <b>saxophonist<\/b> who toured with <b>Phillip Bailey<\/b>, <b>Paula Abdul<\/b>, and others.<\/li>\n<li><b>Tuesday, November 11<\/b> marked the day of his passing at age <b>59<\/b>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>A Lifelong Bond Forged on a Las Vegas Street<\/h2>\n<p><b>Kimmel<\/b> and <b>Escobedo<\/b> met as children on a <b>Las Vegas<\/b> street near their homes. Their friendship became immediate and inseparable. &#8220;We just became pals, and we&#8217;ve been pals ever since,&#8221; <b>Escobedo<\/b> said in a <b>2022<\/b> interview.<\/p>\n<p>The two shared a deep love of comedy and the same sense of humor. Both were huge fans of <b>David Letterman<\/b> as kids. Growing up, they shared countless memories together, from BB gun pranks to wild adventures on a bicycle with a sidecar.<\/p>\n<blockquote style='border-left: 4px solid #3498db;padding-left: 20px;margin: 20px 0;font-style: italic;color: #555'>\n<p>&#8220;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.&#8221;<\/p>\n<footer style='margin-top: 10px;font-style: normal;font-size: 0.9em'>\u2014 <b>Jimmy Kimmel<\/b>, During Cleto&#8217;s 50th Birthday Tribute in 2016<\/footer>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>When <b>Kimmel<\/b> launched <b>Jimmy Kimmel Live!<\/b> in <b>2003<\/b>, he personally lobbied <b>ABC<\/b> to hire his best friend. &#8220;I wanted somebody I had chemistry with,&#8221; <b>Kimmel<\/b> told <b>WABC<\/b> in <b>2015<\/b>. &#8220;There&#8217;s nobody I have better chemistry with than him.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>A Musical Career Built on Excellence<\/h2>\n<p>Before joining <b>Jimmy Kimmel Live!<\/b>, <b>Escobedo<\/b> had already established himself as a professional saxophonist. He toured extensively with legendary artists including <b>Phillip Bailey<\/b> from <b>Earth, Wind &amp; Fire<\/b> and pop icon <b>Paula Abdul<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p><b>Escobedo<\/b> recorded with renowned musicians such as <b>Marc Anthony<\/b>, <b>Tom Scott<\/b>, and the acclaimed group <b>Take Six<\/b>. His talent on the <b>alto, tenor, and soprano saxophones<\/b> made him a sought-after collaborator in the music industry.<\/p>\n<p>His work on <b>Jimmy Kimmel Live!<\/b> showcased his versatility and creativity. <b>Escobedo<\/b> served as co-creator of the show&#8217;s iconic theme tune. He and his band performed energetic musical segments and comedy sketches throughout his <b>22 years<\/b> on the program.<\/p>\n<h3>Why Staying Put Mattered Most<\/h3>\n<p>In a <b>2022<\/b> Texas Tech University interview, <b>Escobedo<\/b> explained why the stable job at <b>Kimmel&#8217;s<\/b> show was perfect. &#8220;Touring is fun, but it&#8217;s more of a young man&#8217;s game,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Touring isn&#8217;t really conducive for family life.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><b>Escobedo<\/b> valued time with his family: his wife <b>Lori<\/b>, his two children, and his father <b>Cleto Escobedo Jr<\/b>. His father also played in the house band as a saxophonist for nearly two decades.<\/p>\n<h2>The Heartfelt Tribute No One Expected<\/h2>\n<p><b>Jimmy Kimmel<\/b> opened his show on <b>Tuesday, November 12<\/b>, visibly devastated. He broke down in tears while paying tribute to his lifelong friend and musical partner. The emotional monologue showcased their deep bond.<\/p>\n<p><b>Kimmel<\/b> also shared a heartfelt message on <b>Instagram<\/b>, writing: &#8220;To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement.&#8221; He continued, &#8220;The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He urged his followers to &#8220;Cherish your friends and please keep <b>Cleto&#8217;s<\/b> wife, children and parents in your prayers.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In <b>2016<\/b>, when <b>Escobedo<\/b> turned <b>50<\/b>, <b>Kimmel<\/b> dedicated an entire show segment to celebrating their &#8220;lifetime of friendship.&#8221; The tribute included reminiscences of their shared past.<\/p>\n<h2>Timeline: Nearly 50 Years of Brotherhood<\/h2>\n<table style='width: 100%;border-collapse: collapse;margin: 20px 0'>\n<tr style='background-color: #f0f0f0'>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>Year\/Event<\/b><\/td>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>Details<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>1977-1982<\/b><\/td>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>Childhood<\/b>: <b>Kimmel<\/b> and <b>Escobedo<\/b> meet as neighbors in <b>Las Vegas<\/b> at age <b>9<\/b>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>1980s-2000s<\/b><\/td>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>Professional Growth<\/b>: <b>Escobedo<\/b> builds career as session and touring saxophonist.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>January 2003<\/b><\/td>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>Jimmy Kimmel Live! Premiere<\/b>: <b>Escobedo<\/b> becomes bandleader of <b>Cleto and the Cletones<\/b>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>2016<\/b><\/td>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>Escobedo&#8217;s 50th Birthday<\/b>: <b>Kimmel<\/b> dedicates full show tribute to their friendship.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>January 2022<\/b><\/td>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>Father-Son Milestone<\/b>: <b>Cleto III<\/b> and <b>Cleto Jr<\/b> celebrate nearly <b>20 years<\/b> performing together.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>November 11, 2025<\/b><\/td>\n<td style='border: 1px solid #ddd;padding: 12px'><b>Passing<\/b>: <b>Escobedo<\/b> dies from liver transplant complications at age <b>59<\/b>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<h2>What Happens to the Show Band Now?<\/h2>\n<p><b>Jimmy Kimmel Live!<\/b> has aired since <b>January 2003<\/b>, never missing a musical director in its entire run. <b>Cleto and the Cletones<\/b> have been integral to the show&#8217;s identity for <b>22 consecutive years<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p>No announcements have been made yet regarding the band&#8217;s future. The show abruptly cancelled its Thursday episode prior to <b>Escobedo&#8217;s<\/b> death on what the network termed a &#8220;personal matter.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Industry sources expect <b>ABC<\/b> to make formal announcements within the coming weeks. The question remains: will another bandleader take over, or will the show honor <b>Cleto&#8217;s<\/b> legacy differently?<\/p>\n<p><b>Escobedo&#8217;s<\/b> father, <b>Cleto Escobedo Jr<\/b>, played tenor and alto saxophones in the band. The family&#8217;s deep roots in the show suggest his legacy will remain an important part of <b>Jimmy Kimmel Live!<\/b> for years to come.<\/p>\n<h2>How Should We Remember His Impact on Late Night Television?<\/h2>\n<p><b>Cleto Escobedo III<\/b> represented something rare in late-night television: authentic friendship meeting professional excellence. For <b>22 years<\/b>, he didn&#8217;t just perform\u2014he brought joy, energy, and genuine connection to every episode.<\/p>\n<p>He proved that you could build a legendary career while prioritizing family and meaningful relationships. He toured with <b>Earth, Wind &amp; Fire<\/b> and <b>Paula Abdul<\/b>, yet chose stability and family time over endless touring.<\/p>\n<p>His story challenges the &#8220;work-hard-above-all&#8221; mentality of entertainment. <b>Escobedo<\/b> showed that professional success and personal fulfillment aren&#8217;t mutually exclusive.<\/p>\n<p>Watch his <b>57-minute<\/b> interview on the <b>Music On The Run Podcast<\/b> where he discussed his journey to becoming a musical director in late night television:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Episode 48 - Cleto Escobedo (Musical Director for Jimmy Kimmel)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/SHRCm5gyRcY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>How many of us get to work alongside our childhood best friend for two decades? <b>Cleto<\/b> and <b>Jimmy<\/b> did. That&#8217;s a friendship story for the ages, and it&#8217;s one Hollywood will remember for generations to come.<\/p>\n<h3>Sources<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>CBS News<\/b> \u2014 Official obituary with quotes from Jimmy Kimmel and biographical information<\/li>\n<li><b>The New York Times<\/b> \u2014 Career retrospective and timeline covering Escobedo&#8217;s professional journey<\/li>\n<li><b>Billboard<\/b> \u2014 Music career accomplishments and co-creation of the show&#8217;s theme<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":15532,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"schema_org_data":"{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Cleto Escobedo III\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Jimmy Kimmel\",\"image\":\"https:\/\/image.tmdb.org\/t\/p\/w500\/wVVvvIwDtCgArdp0fsmjcM2tYyr.jpg\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.themoviedb.org\/person\/78303\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Bailey Phillips\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.themoviedb.org\/person\/5400742\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Paula Abdul\",\"image\":\"https:\/\/image.tmdb.org\/t\/p\/w500\/pvkOLklbgffugxEXRbSl4DynDxC.jpg\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.themoviedb.org\/person\/129193\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Marc Anthony\",\"image\":\"https:\/\/image.tmdb.org\/t\/p\/w500\/mOkqbV5iiusOLEOVPmepQcAGF8K.jpg\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.themoviedb.org\/person\/47775\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Tom Scott\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.themoviedb.org\/person\/18663\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Cleto Escobedo Jr\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"David Letterman\",\"image\":\"https:\/\/image.tmdb.org\/t\/p\/w500\/nk1rMabb84e52G2oax6yO9FBiAd.jpg\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.themoviedb.org\/person\/136487\"]},{\"@type\":\"TVSeries\",\"name\":\"Jimmy Kimmel Live!\",\"image\":\"https:\/\/image.tmdb.org\/t\/p\/w500\/bGB6bEbG4qL22C1SFupkdAxYC9i.jpg\",\"dateCreated\":\"2003-01-26\",\"aggregateRating\":{\"@type\":\"AggregateRating\",\"ratingValue\":5.458,\"bestRating\":\"10\",\"ratingCount\":190},\"description\":\"Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.\"},{\"@type\":\"VideoObject\",\"name\":\"Episode 48 - Cleto Escobedo (Musical Director for Jimmy Kimmel)\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=SHRCm5gyRcY\",\"embedUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SHRCm5gyRcY\",\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/SHRCm5gyRcY\/hqdefault.jpg\",\"uploadDate\":\"2021-10-05T15:32:54Z\",\"duration\":\"PT56M58S\",\"interactionStatistic\":{\"@type\":\"InteractionCounter\",\"interactionType\":\"http:\/\/schema.org\/WatchAction\",\"userInteractionCount\":\"1006\"},\"description\":\"St. Paul chats with saxophonist and musical director for the Jimmy Kimmel Live show, Cleto Escobedo.  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