Jimmy Kimmel launches fundraiser for late bandleader Cleto Escobedo.

3 hours ago7 min read2 comments

The house lights have dimmed on a foundational piece of late-night television's live music scene, casting a somber note across the industry. Jimmy Kimmel, in a move that resonates with the deep, familial bonds forged behind the scenes of a nightly broadcast, has launched a heartfelt fundraiser following the passing of his bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III.Escobedo, who helmed the 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' house band with inimitable saxophone flair and steady leadership from the show's very first curtain rise in 2003, has left the stage at the age of 59. His tenure was not merely a job; it was a twenty-year run, a marathon performance that provided the sonic bedrock for countless celebrity interviews, comedy bits, and musical performances, making him as much an institution on Hollywood Boulevard as the show itself.To understand the gravity of this loss is to appreciate the role of a show's band—it is the heartbeat, the live-wire energy that can elevate a monologue's punchline or soothe an awkward pause, and Cleto conducted that pulse with the cool precision of a seasoned jazzman and the warm camaraderie of a lifelong friend. The fundraiser, established to support his family, feels less like a charitable act and more like a final, collective bow from the extended company of players, writers, and crew who shared the stage with him, a standing ovation for a man whose music was the show's consistent opening number and its reliable closing theme.In the theater of late-night, where hosts are the stars and guests are the features, the bandleader is the stage manager of the atmosphere, and Escobedo’s direction was impeccable. His journey with Kimmel predated the ABC show, stretching back to the host's earlier program on Comedy Central, a testament to a partnership built on mutual respect and shared rhythm.This kind of behind-the-scenes synergy is the unspoken magic of television; it’s the trust that allows for improvisation, the shared history that fuels inside jokes, and the musical cue that everyone knows by heart. The silence left in the wake of his passing is a poignant reminder of the artists who operate just outside the spotlight, yet whose contributions are woven into the very fabric of the production's identity.As the entertainment community mourns, Kimmel’s initiative channels that grief into tangible support, a narrative turn that speaks to the show’s ethos and the personal connection at its core. It’s a final act of care for a key player in an ensemble that, for two decades, made late-night feel less like a broadcast and more like a live, breathing, and wonderfully unpredictable performance.

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#Jimmy Kimmel

#Cleto Escobedo III

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#Jimmy Kimmel Live

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