Jimmy Kimmel Honors Pal Cleto Escobedo After Band Chief’s Dying

Jimmy Kimmel broke down in tears as he honored his late good friend and “Jimmy Kimmel Stay!” band chief Cleto Escobedo III throughout Tuesday night time’s present, simply hours after saying his surprising demise.

Try the heartfelt tribute — the late night time TV host remembered Cleto not solely as a formidable musician who was a staple to the present for over 2 a long time, however as one in all his closest mates.

Jimmy recalled assembly Cleto and mechanically clicking with him after his dad and mom moved their household from Brooklyn, New York to Las Vegas, Nevada when he was a child. He mentioned they have been like brothers, mainly inseparable — and even claimed he as soon as slept over Cleto’s home “33 nights in a row.”

In fact, Jimmy gushed over Cleto’s musical prowess, calling him a “little one prodigy who would get standing ovations in junior highschool.” So, when Jimmy landed ‘Stay!’ in 2003 … he mentioned he knew precisely who to name to guide the band.

Cleto was the chief of Cleto and the Cletones for almost 23 years, although he was quietly absent from the present in current months after falling in poor health. His father, Cleto Escobedo II, is within the band, taking part in the tenor and alto saxophone.

Jimmy mentioned Cleto’s father influenced him to develop into a musician — after halting his skilled profession to boost his household.

He raved … “I’ve usually mentioned that the only neatest thing about doing this present was getting the chance to permit Cleto Senior to choose up the place he left off in 1966 and develop into a musician once more along with his son.”

The late musician as soon as mentioned he picked up an instrument due to his dad, and praised him for the sacrifices he made as a father, noting in a 2021 featurette … “I play sax as a result of he performed sax after I was a child … After I began going to high school, he stop taking part in simply so he may very well be house with me and received a job as a busboy at Caesar’s Palace and labored there for 30 years.”

Cleto’s mom, Sylvia, was within the viewers through the 20-minute monologue.

Jimmy introduced his gifted good friend’s demise on Instagram Tuesday. Though the present went on, he informed the viewers the Wednesday and Thursday broadcasts could be canceled.

It’s not clear how Cleto died.

He was 59.