Jimmy Kimmel starts fundraiser after bandleader Cleto Escobedo's death.

2 hours ago7 min read

The house lights dim on a stage now quieter, a familiar rhythm lost. Jimmy Kimmel, in a gesture that speaks to the profound bond forged in the crucible of live television, has initiated a heartfelt fundraiser following the untimely passing of Cleto Escobedo III, the bandleader whose saxophone and spirit were the very heartbeat of *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* since its inaugural broadcast in 2003.Escobedo, who was just 59, wasn't merely a musician who showed up for tapings; he was the conductor of the show's nightly pulse, the man whose band, Cleto and the Cletones, provided the sonic landscape for two decades of comedy, controversy, and celebrity interviews. To understand his role is to understand that a late-night show is more than monologues and sketches; it's a live performance with its own soul, and for twenty-one years, that soul was orchestrated by Cleto.His band didn't just play people on and off stage; they set the temperature for the entire evening, responding to the energy of the audience and the host with a jazz musician's improvisational grace. This wasn't a gig; it was a legacy, one that began long before the Hollywood spotlight, rooted in a deep musical pedigree—his father, Cleto Escobedo Jr., was a renowned saxophonist who played with legends like Buddy Holly and Little Richard, embedding in his son a reverence for the craft that would define his career. The fundraiser, while a practical response to the unforeseen financial strains that often accompany a sudden loss, functions on a deeper level as a curtain call for a beloved member of this unique theatrical family.It’s a standing ovation from Kimmel, the crew, and the millions of viewers who, perhaps without even realizing it, came to rely on the smooth, confident sound of Cleto’s band as the comforting overture to their late-night wind-down. In the theater of television, where personas are carefully constructed, the bandleader's authenticity was his greatest asset; he wasn't playing a character, he was sharing his art.His passing leaves a silence not just on the soundstage but across the entire landscape of American late-night, a format that has increasingly relied on the raw, unscripted energy that a live band uniquely provides. Think of Paul Shaffer with Letterman, Max Weinberg with Conan, or Questlove with Fallon—these are not sidemen but co-stars, anchoring the show in a visceral, human reality that pure comedy cannot.Cleto Escobedo belonged to that elite ensemble. As details surrounding his cause of death remain private, the public narrative rightly shifts from the shock of loss to a celebration of a life lived in rhythm and harmony.The fundraiser becomes more than a collection of donations; it is a final, collective number dedicated to the man who gave so much of his music to the world. It’s a testament to the fact that behind the glamour of Hollywood, the most enduring productions are built on the foundation of genuine human connection, a truth Cleto Escobedo performed every single night.

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