Jimmy Kimmel announces death of bandleader Cleto Escobedo III: “Heartbroken is an understatement”
Jimmy Kimmel has announced the death of Jimmy Kimmel Live! bandleader Cleto Escobedo III, aged 59.
The musician, who has led the house band Cleto and the Cletone since the programme began airing in 2003, died on November 11th.
Taking to Instagram, Kimmel announced the sad news, writing, “Early this morning, we lost a great friend, father, son, musician and man, my longtime bandleader Cleto Escobedo III. To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement. Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old.”
Kimmel continued, “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.”
Jimmy Kimmel Live! previously didn’t air on November 6th due to an undisclosed personal matter in regards to the host, which has since been confirmed by Variety to be related to Escobedo.
The duo had been close friends since childhood, growing up together in Las Vegas before operating in similar circles once they began to move into show business.
Once Kimmel got his late-night show, he called upon Escobedo to join him for the venture, which led to 22 years of television.
During an interview with ABC in 2013, Escobedo shared, “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.”
He gratuitously added, “But he trusted me with this job, and I’ve tried to do the best I can.”
Before joining Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Escobedo had already enjoyed a successful career in the music industry, touring with artists including Paula Abdul and Philip Bayley from Earth, Wind and Fire.
No cause of death has been revealed.
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