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Cleto Escobedo III, longtime bandleader of the house band Cleto and the Cletones on the show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, has died.

He passed away on November 11, 2025 at the age of 59.

Jimmy Kimmel announced the death via his Instagram and then addressed it emotionally in the show’s monologue

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Kimmel and Escobedo were childhood friends — they met when Kimmel’s family moved across the street in Las Vegas and the two became inseparable

Escobedo had led the Cletones since the start of the show in 2003 and had performed alongside his father in the band

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The official cause of death has not yet been publicly confirmed

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Some reports suggest complications stemming from a liver transplant may have contributed.

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The show cancelled a recent episode citing a “personal reason,” which is now connected to Escobedo’s condition.

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Many celebrities and musicians paid tribute to him online, praising his musicianship and friendship with Kimmel.

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Kimmel described the monologue as “the hardest” he’s ever had to deliver, underscoring the depth of their friendship and the impact of his loss.