Cleto Escobedo III was an American musician. He was 59 years old. Escobedo and his band, Cleto and the Cletones, have been performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! ever since the show first started in 2003.
Cause Of Death & Early Life
According to the news reports, he died on 11th November 2025 at the age of 59. Kimmel shared the sad news on Instagram on Tuesday, saying that early that morning, his close friend and longtime bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III, had passed away.
He described Escobedo as a wonderful friend, father, son, and musician, adding that everyone is deeply heartbroken by the loss. His cause of death is not publicly disclosed.
He was born on 23 August 1966 in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. He and Jimmy Kimmel were childhood friends who grew up as neighbors in Las Vegas and had known each other since they were nine.
On Escobedo’s 50th birthday, Kimmel honored him on the show by sharing memories from their younger days.
Parents, Wife & Children
As per the reports, he was born to his American parents. His father’s name was Mr. Cleto Escobedo II, and his mother’s name was Mrs. Escobedo. His siblings’ information is not updated yet.
According to the reports, he was unmarried at the time of his death. He has been in a relationship with Shawnee Smith(source). He did not have any children.
Net Worth, Ethnicity & Religion
According to the reports, his net worth was approximately $5 to $10 million from all of his income sources as of 2025. He had an American White Ethnicity. His religious faith was not updated yet.
Career Details
After finishing high school and spending some time at the University of Nevada–Las Vegas, Escobedo played with the band Santa Fe and later got a major opportunity performing in Paula Abdul’s tour band.
In 1995, he created the Cletones with Toshi Yanagi, Jimmy Earl, Jeff Babko, and Jonathan Dresel. His father later joined the group when they became part of Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
He was a well-known musician, composer, and saxophonist, best recognized as the leader of Cleto and the Cletones, the house band on Jimmy Kimmel Live! since 2003.
In January 2022, he and his father celebrated almost 20 years of performing together. Escobedo shared a backstage photo on Instagram, writing, “19 years of this! Love you, Dad.”
Before working on Kimmel’s show, Escobedo had a successful music career, performing with well-known artists like Earth, Wind & Fire, and Paula Abdul, and he even signed his own record deal.
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