Jimmy Kimmel Cancels Show to Be With Best Friend Ban Leader Cleto Escobedo Before His Death

Jimmy Kimmel is mourning the loss of his longtime friend and "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" band leader, Cleto Escobedo III, who passed away at the age of 59.

Sources close to the show confirmed that Escobedo died due to complications following a liver transplant.

Kimmel canceled his late-night show last Thursday after Escobedo was hospitalized, choosing to spend time with his best friend during his final days. The two shared a lifelong bond that stretched far beyond the television stage.

In an emotional Instagram post on Tuesday, Kimmel shared the heartbreaking news. According to PageSix, he called Escobedo "a great friend, father, son, musician, and man," and said that losing him was "an understatement of heartbreak."

He also reflected on their decades of friendship, saying they had been inseparable since childhood. Kimmel asked fans to keep Escobedo's wife, children, and parents in their prayers.

Kimmel and Escobedo grew up across the street from each other in Las Vegas and quickly became close friends.

Their shared love for music and humor bonded them early on, leading to countless hours spent playing baseball, football, and forming their own childhood band.

Jimmy Kimmel on Choosing Cleto Escobedo as Band Leader

Escobedo later went on to play with renowned artists like Earth, Wind & Fire and Paula Abdul before joining Kimmel's late-night show in 2003.

When "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" launched, Kimmel fought to have Escobedo as his band leader.

He once recalled being nervous that the network wouldn't allow him to hire a friend, so he arranged for the president of ABC to see Escobedo perform live — a decision that helped secure his place on the show, People reported.

"Of course, I wanted great musicians," Kimmel said in a past interview. "But I wanted someone I had chemistry with — and there's nobody I have better chemistry with than him."

Escobedo's father, Cleto Sr., also played in the show's house band after returning from retirement, performing alongside his son for nearly two decades.

The father-son duo celebrated 19 years with the show in 2022, marking a rare milestone in late-night television.

Fans and colleagues have flooded social media with tributes, honoring Escobedo's warmth, humor, and musical legacy.

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