Jimmy Kimmel’s Lifelong Friend and Bandleader Cleto Escobedo Dead at 59

Cleto Escobedo III, the beloved bandleader of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and childhood friend of host Jimmy Kimmel, has died at age 59. Kimmel confirmed the news Tuesday morning, calling the loss “heartbreaking” and describing Escobedo as one of the most important people in his life.

A Friendship That Spanned a Lifetime

Kimmel announced Escobedo’s passing in an emotional Instagram post, writing,

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.

The cause of death has not been released, but Escobedo had reportedly been battling illness for several months. Kimmel even canceled a taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this fall to be at his friend’s side.

The two men’s friendship stretched back five decades. They grew up across the street from each other in Las Vegas, sharing a love of comedy, music, and mischief. In a 2022 oral history interview with Texas Tech University, Escobedo recalled the pair’s teenage antics. “We kind of had the same sense of humor,” he said. “We’d mess with people on the Strip, and if it’d rain, maybe we’d go splash people with puddles in my car when I was a teenager.”

Their bond never faded. When Kimmel launched Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC in 2003, he insisted that Escobedo be the show’s bandleader. “I wanted somebody I had chemistry with,” Kimmel told reporters at the time. “And there’s nobody in my life I have better chemistry with than him.”

From Las Vegas to Late Night

Escobedo’s path to television fame was paved by a lifelong devotion to music. Born into a musical family in Las Vegas, he began playing saxophone in sixth grade, largely because his father—also a professional musician—already owned the instrument.

“Cleto was a phenomenal saxophone player from a very young age,” Kimmel said in a tearful monologue Tuesday night. “He was a child prodigy. He would get standing ovations in junior high school, if you can imagine that.”

After attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Escobedo played in local bar bands that covered everything from country to Phil Collins. His big break came in 1990, when he landed an audition with pop star Paula Abdul. “Through her, I got a record deal with Virgin Records,” he said in his Texas Tech interview. “It was kind of a Latin-y, pop, R&B record... kind of like the Latin Explosion record a little too early.”

Although his solo career never fully took off, Escobedo went on to perform and tour with major artists including Luis Miguel and Marc Anthony. His professional reputation as a gifted, humble, and versatile musician earned him steady work—and lifelong admiration from peers.

A Family Legacy on Late-Night TV

When Jimmy Kimmel Live! premiered in 2003, Escobedo joined the show as bandleader with his group, Cleto and the Cletones, which included his father. The two performed side by side for years, and Kimmel often noted their pride in being, as they believed, the only father-son duo on late-night television.

Their tight-knit relationship gave the show an easygoing, family-like atmosphere. Escobedo’s warmth and quick humor became part of the program’s identity, endearing him to both the studio crew and millions of viewers at home.

“Everyone loves Cleto,” Kimmel said in his on-air tribute. “Everyone here at this show is devastated by this. It’s just not fair. He was the nicest, most humble, kind, and always funny person.”

Remembered for His Music and His Heart

Escobedo’s influence extended well beyond late-night television. To fans, he was the smiling saxophonist who brought energy to every performance; to his colleagues, he was the steady, generous friend who anchored the band for over two decades.

Kimmel ended his tribute by thanking the medical staff at UCLA Medical Center for caring for Escobedo in his final days and urged viewers to take his friend’s passing as a reminder to treasure the people in their lives. “Cherish your friends,” he said softly.

Cleto Escobedo III is survived by his wife, two children, his parents, and countless friends and fans who will remember him not just as a musician, but as the heart of Jimmy Kimmel Live!—a man who made laughter and music inseparable.

Did Cleto Escobedo’s music or friendship with Jimmy Kimmel touch your heart? Share this story on social media to help celebrate his legacy and keep his memory alive.