Cleto Escobedo, Jimmy Kimmel's Friend and Band Leader, Is Dead at 59

Fame and success come with many perks, most of which revolve around money or opportunities. Sometimes the advantages run deep. A fictional example is the show Entourage, which was loosely based on the life of actor Mark Wahlberg. In the series, Vinnie Chase (Adrian Grenier) becomes an A-list actor who then employs his brother and lifelong friends. As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all ships.

There are numerous real-life examples of famous people bringing their besties along for the ride. Drew Barrymore started her production company, Flower Films, with her friend Nancy Juvonen. Jimmy Kimmel hired his best childhood bud as band leader on Jimmy Kimmel Live. In November 2025, the talk show host revealed that Cleto Escobedo died at the age of 59. Here's what we know.

During his opening monologue on Nov. 11, Jimmy broke down while sharing the news of Cleto's death. "Late last night, early this morning, we lost someone very special who was much too young to go, and I'd like to tell you about him if you don't mind," said Jimmy through tears. While he did not reveal Cleto's cause of death, Page Six reports that it could have stemmed from complications following a liver transplant.

The friends met in 1977 when Jimmy's parents moved the family from Brooklyn, N.Y. to Las Vegas, Nev. The neighborhood was completely devoid of grass and trees, but Jimmy found a friend in the boy who lived across the street. Their friendship was supercharged almost immediately. They were both strange in their own ways, which only made for a stronger connection. "We were never bored," said Jimmy. "We were always up to something."

Jimmy always spoke highly of his best friend, describing him as a "musical prodigy" in a 2013 interview with Variety. In an oral history interview with Texas Tech University in 2022, Cleto said he started playing the saxophone at the age of 12 when his father gave him a brand new saxophone he wasn't using. Apparently, the elder Escobedo preferred his old sax.

Cleto left high school early and began studying at the University of Las Vegas, where he played in a couple of jazz bands. He also played in a couple of bar bands and was down to do anything related to music. He spent a few years with the Indigos, which Cleto said were kind of like a discount Temptations. Things really took off in 1990 when he auditioned to be in Paula Abdul's band. After about a year, Cleto got a record deal with Virgin Records.

For a few years, Cleto toured with various musicians as a hired gun. He was with Marc Anthony when Jimmy called about joining his talk show. Cleto was with the show since the beginning, in 2003. During his tribute, Jimmy talked about Cleto meeting his wife, Lori, who was working as a server across the street from the studio. They went on to have two children, Cruz and Jesse. "He was the nicest, most humble, kind, and always funny person," said Jimmy.