Cleto Escobedo III, Jimmy Kimmel’s Bandleader, Dies at 59

Cleto Escobedo III, the bandleader for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” died Tuesday at the age of 59.

Kimmel broke the news of his long-time friend and colleague’s death on his Instagram.

“Early this morning, we lost a great friend, father, son, musician and man, my longtime bandleader Cleto Escobedo III,” Kimmel wrote. “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’s wife, children and parents in your prayers.”

Escobedo and Kimmel grew up together in Las Vegas, NV. The musician formed his band Cleto and the Cletones back in 1995 and lent his saxophone skills to the group. When Kimmel was hired to helm ABC’s late night show, he quickly asked Escobedo to be the leader for the house band. He had been with the show since 2003.

“I 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,” Escobedo told ABC7 back in 2003. “But he trusted me with this job, and I’ve tried to do the best I can.”

After he was brought on to the show as bandleader, Escobedo brought on his father to play in the band as well. His father had put his music career in the rearview earlier in life to support his family working a number of jobs at Caesar’s Palace but was able to return to his passion thanks to his son.

Escobedo’s cause of death is currently unknown.

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