Jimmy Kimmel Announces Death Of Bandleader And Close Friend Cleto Escobedo Iii

Cleto Escobedo, III, nan man who leads nan set connected "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" died connected Tuesday morning, nan precocious nighttime big announced.

In posts connected societal media, Jimmy Kimmel described Escobedo arsenic a "great friend, father, son, musician and man." He urged his followers to support Escobedo's family successful their thoughts.

"Cleto and I person been inseparable since I was 9 years old," Kimmel wrote. "The truth that we sewage to activity together each time is simply a dream neither of america could ever person imagined would travel true."

The news comes conscionable aft Kimmel postponed a show taping past week for a "personal matter."

Escobedo, a Las Vegas native, has led "Cleto and nan Cletones" for Kimmel's precocious nighttime show for much than 20 years. Kimmel moved successful crossed nan thoroughfare from Escobedo successful 1977 erstwhile nan comedian's parents near New York for misdeed city.

Kimmel dedicated a conception to Escobedo successful 2016 for his friend's 50th birthday, joking that nan 2 had nan type of relationship built connected "the benignant of torture you tin only an older relative tin inflict connected you without being arrested."

He teased his friend astir times erstwhile Kimmel rode successful nan sidecar of Escobedo's bicycle conscionable for Escobedo to steer him into trash cans. Kimmel told 1 communicative astir a clip erstwhile Kimmel built a go-kart retired of wood arsenic child, only to beryllium sabotaged by his buddy.

"Cleto snuck into my car shed and glued nan steering file near aliases right," Kimmel said. "I went correct into traffic."

At nan extremity of nan segment, Kimmel shared photos of nan 2 men from their clip increasing up together. One of nan photos was of them playing euphony together, pinch Kimmel connected nan clarinet and Escobedo connected nan saxophone.

Kimmel told WABC nan twelvemonth earlier that he knew he had to person Escobedo for his location set successful 2003 erstwhile "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" first aired. Escobedo was a "child prodigy" who ended up being a master touring musician, Kimmel said.

So Kimmel took nan president of ABC to spot Escobedo's set execute and "he loved it.”

“Of people I wanted awesome musicians, but I wanted personification I had chemistry with,” Kimmel said. “And there’s cipher successful my life I person amended chemistry pinch than him.”