Jimmy Kimmel Live! Band Changes Name After Cleto Escobedo’s Death

Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s house band is going by a new moniker.

The band, formerly known as Cleto and the Cletones, announced their new name on the late-night show on November 17th, just days after the passing of their leader, Cleto Escobedo III.

The show’s opening credits now feature the band’s new name, The Cletones, displayed with a flashing light. This change happened a week after Jimmy Kimmel announced the passing of his friend and a musician, who died on November 11th at the age of 59.

Jimmy shared the sad news on Instagram that his longtime bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III, has passed away. He described the loss of his friend, father, son, and fellow musician as devastating.

According to a death certificate obtained by TMZ on November 14th, Cleto died from cardiogenic shock, which happens when the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.

Following the death of his friend, Jimmy returned to his show and emotionally remembered how he’d helped him get the job back in 2003.

Looking back on it, the thought of anyone but Cleto leading the band honestly scared me! It just had to be him. I remember really psyching myself up before suggesting it. I knew simply saying ‘my childhood friend plays sax, let’s put him in charge’ wouldn’t fly, so I had to carefully present the idea and make a strong case for why Cleto was the perfect fit.

Cleto and his father, Cleto Escobedo II, were hired, and Jimmy emotionally revealed they’d been working side-by-side for nearly 23 years.

Cleto’s family, friends, and many musicians honored his life at a memorial service on November 15th.

It just hits me sometimes that Cleto is really gone… I keep expecting to see him, you know? It’s so hard. I posted some pictures of him on Instagram with that Michael McDonald song, ‘I Keep Forgettin’ – it just perfectly describes how I feel. I mean, I’ll never forget how much I loved him. He made my life so beautiful, and I just want him to rest peacefully. My sweet brother, Cleto… I miss him so much.

Shelia E. shared a glimpse inside the emotional service alongside photos of her with Cleto’s family.

The singer shared on Instagram on November 16th that a gathering of family and friends was the most beautiful celebration of life they’d ever seen. They said it truly showed the kind of person Cleto was and how much love he had for those around him, adding that they’ll continue to keep his family in their thoughts. They finished by saying they loved and already missed Cleto.

For more tributes to Cleto, keep reading…

Jimmy Kimmel announced on Instagram November 11th that his longtime bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III, had passed away. Kimmel described the loss as devastating, saying they were all heartbroken.

The talk show host added that he and Cleto “have been inseparable since I was nine years old.”

Jimmy went on to say how incredible it was that they had the chance to work together daily, something they’d both only dreamed of. He urged everyone to value their friendships and asked for thoughts and prayers for Cleto’s family – his wife, children, and parents.

The artist behind “Glamorous Life” shared the sad news of Cleto Escobedo’s passing on Instagram on November 11th. They first met Cleto in 1994 and produced a track for his album the following year. They often playfully suggested they were related and even attempted to confirm it.

She wrote that he had “been a true brother and an amazing musician and artist.”

She expressed her deep sadness, saying she was completely heartbroken. She sent her thoughts and prayers to Jimmy Kimmel’s wife, children, family, and friends, and shared that he would be greatly missed, adding a final message of love and wishing him peace.

The singer of “Straight Up” posted a touching message on Instagram on November 11th, expressing sadness over the loss of Cleto Escobedo III.

Paula remembered first hearing Cleto play saxophone at a small bar in Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace. She was assembling her band for her debut world tour and immediately knew she wanted to hire him, despite his lack of prior touring experience.

She enthusiastically praised Cleto’s incredible talent and energy, expressing her excitement to see him thrive in his career. She was particularly happy that he was able to rejoin his close friend Jimmy Kimmel as the bandleader on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

She described Cleto as a genuinely kind and radiant person, both when he was performing and in his everyday life. She also expressed her sympathy to his family and all those who cared for him.

Actor Zach Cherry shared the news of Cleto Escobedo III’s passing on Instagram on November 11th. He described Escobedo as a very kind and talented person who would be deeply missed, and sent his condolences to Escobedo’s family and the team at Jimmy Kimmel Live!.