Cleto Escobedo III, Jimmy Kimmel’s childhood friend and talk show bandleader, died at the age of 59. What happened to Cleto?
The cast and crew of Jimmy Kimmel Live! are grieving a significant loss. Jimmy Kimmel announced the heartbreaking death of his childhood friend and Cleto and the Cletones bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III, on November 11, 2025. Escobedo was 59 when he died, which prompted viewers to wonder what happened to the pro saxophone player.
“To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement,” the late-night host wrote, in part, in an Instagram post alongside a photo of Escobedo.
“Early this morning, we lost a great friend, father, son, musician and man, my longtime bandleader Cleto Escobedo III,” Kimmel continued. “Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was 9 years old.
