25 Facts About Cleto Escobedo III: The Saxophone Soul of Late Night

Photo Credit: Randy Holmes/Disney

Cleto Escobedo III, the beloved saxophonist and bandleader for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, has passed away at 59. For over two decades, he brought groove, warmth, and friendship to late-night TV. A Las Vegas native, Cleto’s story was one of music, family, and laughter — lived with the same heart that filled his horn. Here are 25 amazing facts about the legendary musician.

  1. Cleto Valentine Escobedo III was born August 23, 1966, in Las Vegas.
  2. His father, Cleto Escobedo Jr., was also a saxophonist who played in the 1960s Vegas band Los Blues.
  3. His mother, Sylvia, encouraged him to pick up the saxophone at age 11.
  4. Cleto was an only child.
  5. He met Jimmy Kimmel when they were nine years old after Kimmel’s family moved across the street in Las Vegas.
  6. The two grew up watching Late Night with David Letterman, dreaming of doing something creative together.
  7. Before late night TV, Cleto toured with Paula Abdul on her Forever Your Girl world tour.
  8. He also performed with Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire.
  9. In the early 1990s, Cleto signed a solo record deal with Virgin Records.
  10. He later toured with Latin pop superstar Marc Anthony.
  11. When Kimmel landed his ABC show in 2003, he immediately called Cleto to lead the band.
  12. Cleto and his father both joined Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the very first episode.
  13. Their band, Cleto and the Cletones, co-wrote the show’s theme song with Kimmel’s brother, Jonathan.
  14. The band’s lineup included Toshi Yanagi, Jimmy Earl, Jeff Babko, Jonathan Dresel, and Cleto Jr.
  15. Kimmel once called Cleto “the best friend anyone could ever have.”
  16. Cleto’s father said playing on TV with his son felt like “seventh heaven.”
  17. Cleto called his bandmates “family,” saying they could communicate with just a look.
  18. He fought for fair pay for TV musicians when clips were streamed online.
  19. He appeared in commercials and TV soundtracks beyond the late-night stage.
  20. Cleto lived in Studio City, California, with his wife, Lori, and their children, Cruz and Jesse.
  21. He loved R&B, funk, and soul artists like Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, and Grover Washington Jr.
  22. He credited his mentor Jerry Lopez from the Vegas band Santa Fe for teaching him how to lead.
  23. Cleto described his gig on Jimmy Kimmel Live! as “the best job a musician could ever have.”
  24. When he turned 50, Kimmel roasted and celebrated him on-air — “like an older brother, without getting arrested.”
  25. Cleto’s music and friendship will forever live in the heart of late-night television.