Cleto Escobedo III: A Legendary Musical Journey with Jimmy Kimmel
Music lovers, we've got a bittersweet story to share. Cleto Escobedo III, the super-talented saxophonist and spirit behind the tunes on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, has left us at the young age of 59. His incredible journey with Jimmy Kimmel wasn't just work—it was a lifelong adventure forged from an unbreakable friendship.
Jimmy Kimmel took to social media to share the heart-wrenching news, giving an emotional goodbye to his best friend during Tuesday night’s show (Nov. 11). "Early this morning, we lost a great friend, father, son, musician, and man," Kimmel wrote on Instagram. Their friendship began way back when Kimmel's family moved to Las Vegas in 1977. They lived just two houses apart, quickly becoming partners-in-crime in a neighborhood full of surprises.
Kimmel couldn't hide his tears while recounting memories of sleepovers, crank calls, and backyard baseball games. He even joked about the concussions they might have given each other! But their shared love for music and comedians like Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy bonded them like glue.
Cleto's musical spark was evident from a young age. Imagine getting standing ovations in junior high—that was Cleto! With music in his blood thanks to his sax-playing dad, Cleto juggled gigs with legends like Paula Abdul. Later, when Jimmy proposed the idea of his late-night show to ABC, bringing along Cleto and his father for auditions—they nailed it, obviously.
In Jimmy’s words, becoming bandmates with his best friend was a dream neither could have imagined. As Kimmel said, “I’ve often said that the single best thing about doing this show was getting the opportunity to spend every day with my best friend Cleto.”
Though Cleto’s cause of death hasn’t been disclosed, he was reportedly hospitalized last week, prompting Jimmy to cancel a show to be by his side. Right now, your thoughts should be with Cleto’s family—his strength, his music, and his laughter will be missed by all.
So grab your friends close, and don’t forget to keep the music playing in Cleto’s honor.