Jimmy Kimmel is paying tribute to one of his oldest friends and closest collaborators, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” bandleader Cleto Escobedo III, who has died at 59.
The late-night host shared the news Tuesday in an emotional Instagram post, saying “that we are heartbroken is an understatement.” Escobedo had been part of the show since its launch in 2003, leading the house band alongside his father, Cleto Escobedo Jr. His death prompted an outpouring of condolences from fans and fellow musicians who celebrated his warmth, humor and unmistakable musical style.
Kimmel and Escobedo’s friendship stretched back more than 50 years to their childhood in Las Vegas, where they grew up across the street from one another.
“The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could have imagined,” Kimmel wrote. “Cherish your friends and please keep Cleto’s wife, children and parents in your prayers.”
“We just met one day on the street,” Escobedo recalled in a 2022 interview with Texas Tech University’s Southwest Collection. “We kind of had the same sense of humor. We just became pals, and we’ve been pals ever since.” The pair bonded over their shared love of comedy and late-night television, spending countless hours watching David Letterman and dreaming of working in show business.
Before joining Kimmel’s show, Escobedo was a seasoned saxophonist who toured with Earth, Wind & Fire’s Phillip Bailey and pop star Paula Abdul. He also recorded with artists including Marc Anthony, Tom Scott and Take Six. When Kimmel got his late-night opportunity, he said he couldn’t imagine doing it without his lifelong friend. “Of course I wanted great musicians, but I wanted somebody I had chemistry with,” Kimmel told WABC in 2015. “And there’s nobody in my life I have better chemistry with than him.”
Their real-life friendship often surfaced on air. In 2016, Kimmel celebrated Escobedo’s 50th birthday with a segment recounting their childhood antics — from BB gun pranks to riding Escobedo’s makeshift “side hack” bicycle into garbage cans. “Cleto would drive me right into bushes,” Kimmel laughed during the show.
The cause and date of Escobedo’s death have not been released. Last Thursday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was abruptly canceled, though no reason was given.
Escobedo’s father joined the show’s band at Kimmel’s suggestion, making the family a fixture of the program for nearly two decades. “Jimmy asked me, ‘Who are we going to get in the band?’ Then he said, ‘Hey, what about your dad? Wouldn’t that be kind of cool?’” Escobedo recalled in the 2022 interview. “I was like, ‘That would be way cool.’”
In that same interview, Escobedo said his work on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” offered something touring life could not — time with family. “Touring’s fun, but it’s not really conducive to family life,” he said. “You leave your kids as babies and come back and they’re talking — it’s hard.”
Escobedo is survived by his wife, Lori, and their two children.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
