LOS ANGELES - In a town built on bright lights, punchlines, and fleeting applause, some artists manage to carve out a place not through spectacle, but through sincerity. Cleto Escobedo III, the longtime saxophonist and bandleader of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, was one of those rare figures — a musician whose presence was steady, warm, and unmistakably genuine. His passing on November 11, 2025, at the age of 59, marked the end of a quiet, steadfast chapter in late-night television.
Cleto Valentine Escobedo III was born on August 23, 1966, in the neon cradle of Las Vegas, a city where music is never far from reach. His father, Cleto Escobedo Jr., was a working saxophonist on the Vegas circuit, and from him young Cleto inherited both his talent and his sense of showmanship. By the age of eleven, he had already picked up the saxophone under his father’s guidance, discovering a voice — warm, agile, and unmistakably expressive — that would shape the rest of his life.
That same year, fate delivered a second influence that would prove just as lasting: the Kimmel family moved in down the street. Cleto and Jimmy Kimmel became childhood friends almost instantly, bonding over pranks, go-karts, and an irreverent sense of humor. Neither boy could have imagined that their backyard antics would someday turn into a nightly television partnership watched by millions.
Before late-night stardom, Cleto’s life was rooted in the stage. He toured with artists including Paula Abdul and Marc Anthony, slipping easily between pop, Latin rhythms, and jazz. His saxophone — fluid, expressive, and bright — made him a sought-after collaborator. He was a musician’s musician, a performer who could slip into any genre and make it feel like home.
By Allan R. Ellenberger - The Hollywoodland Revue
In 2003, when Jimmy Kimmel was chosen to host his own late-night show, he was adamant about one thing: Cleto had to be his bandleader. And so “Cleto and the Cletones” were born, with Cleto III at the helm and his father, Cleto Jr., joining him in the horn section. The two Cletoes — father and son — became a beloved part of the show’s identity. Their chemistry, both musical and familial, gave the program a warmth no scripted bit could reproduce.
Night after night, Cleto’s saxophone ushered the audience into commercial breaks, celebrated celebrity entrances, and filled the studio with a vibrant, lived-in musicality. But behind the scenes, he was known for something even richer: his kindness. Colleagues spoke of a man grounded in family, grateful for the stability his role offered, and happiest when talking about his wife, Lori, and their two children, Cruz and Jesse.
When Cleto grew ill and stepped away from the show, fans noticed his absence, though few knew why. The news of his passing brought an outpouring of grief, none more raw than from Jimmy Kimmel himself. Fighting tears on air, Kimmel spoke of a friendship that had lasted since childhood — “inseparable since I was nine years old” — and of a working partnership that became a dream neither could have predicted.
Cleto’s cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, but the weight of the loss is unmistakable. In an industry that often elevates ego over artistry, Cleto stood apart: humble, humorous, endlessly talented, and unwaveringly loyal.
Today, his legacy lives on in the countless musical moments he created, the nightly joy he helped deliver to audiences, and the friendships he nurtured with gentle, steady grace. For over two decades, his saxophone was the heartbeat of late-night television — a reminder that the most enduring stars are not always the ones bathed in spotlight, but the ones who play just off-center, lifting the whole room with them.
Cleto Escobedo III leaves behind his wife Lori, their two children, his parents, and all who loved him. His music, his laughter, and his spirit will echo long after the last note has faded.