By Jordan Grim • November 12, 2025 • 07:15 AM (PDT)
By Jordan Grim • November 12, 2025 • 07:15 AM (PDT)
The passing of Cleto Escobedo III at age 59 marks the end of a remarkable chapter in late-night television and a lifelong friendship. For the audience of the United States, this news resonates not just as the loss of a musician, but as a tribute to a partnership that spanned decades.
Born on August 23, 1966 in Las Vegas, Escobedo was the only child of Sylvia Escobedo and saxophonist Cleto Escobedo Jr.. His father’s role in his musical upbringing was profound: Escobedo remembered watching his dad perform when he was just five years old and feeling moved by the music. That early exposure set the stage for his own career.
While studying at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he began performing gigs along the Las Vegas Strip. His breakthrough came in 1990 when he joined the touring band of Paula Abdul, which led to a record deal and work with artists such as Marc Anthony and Luis Miguel.
The story of Cleto Escobedo III is inseparable from his friendship with Jimmy Kimmel. The two grew up together in Las Vegas, and Kimmel has remarked that they’ve been “inseparable since I was 9 years old.” When Kimmel was offered his own late-night show in 2003, he asked for Escobedo to lead the house band—an opportunity network executives reportedly accepted after seeing the band perform live.
Escobedo became the leader of the band known as Cleto and the Cletones, serving as the house band on Jimmy Kimmel Live! since its inception in 2003. His role merged friendship, family and music: his father later joined the band backstage and on-air at times, making it one of the few father-and-son pairings on late-night television.
On November 11 2025, Jimmy Kimmel announced the death of Cleto Escobedo III via Instagram, describing him as “my great friend, father, son, musician and man.” Kimmel opened the show that night in tears, calling the loss “the hardest” monologue he’s ever done. He described the moment plainly: “It’s just not fair.” The following two episodes of the show were cancelled out of respect.
This is more than the obituary of a musician. It’s the end of a friendship that began with childhood mischief and evolved into national television presence. Escobedo’s journey—from Las Vegas gigs to world tours to the bright lights of late-night—is a reminder of perseverance, partnership and the quiet power of consistent craft.
For those of us tuning in tonight, we remember Cleto Escobedo III not just for the saxophone solos or the bandleader’s podium, but for the rare combination of talent, loyalty and friendship. A childhood bond that became professional art. A father and son playing together on national television. A man whose passing leaves a hole in the show – but whose music and story will continue to echo.
When you think of Cleto Escobedo III, remember the saxophone riffs, but also remember the friend who stood beside Jimmy Kimmel for more than two decades.