Cleto Escobedo III, the longtime bandleader for the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show, died on November 11, 2025, at the age of 59. His death was announced by the television show host, Jimmy Kimmel, who was also his childhood friend and long-term collaborator. Cleto led the show’s house band, Cleto and the Cletones, since the program’s inception in 2003. Jimmy was ‘heartbroken’ at his untimely death and shared that his family needed privacy and prayers during this tough time. Media reports suggest that Cleto faced serious health troubles before his passing.
Cleto Escobedo III’s cause of death
Jimmy Kimmel shared the heartbreaking news of Cleto Escobedo III’s death through an emotional post on Instagram. The former mourned the loss of a ‘great friend, father, son, musician’. Jimmy recalled his enduring bond with Cleto, which had been inseparable since he was nine. Working together was a dream for both Jimmy and Cleto, and the former was glad they could make it happen. While he did not mention Cleto’s cause of death in the tribute post, a Page Six report claimed that the musician had complications stemming from a liver transplant. Jimmy’s poignant post for Cleto read:
“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. 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.”
