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Cleto Escobedo III had one of those careers not too many people get to enjoy -- because he worked alongside one of his childhood friends, Jimmy Kimmel, for many years.

However, the musician's stint as the late-night show host's bandleader came to an abrupt end in 2025 when he unexpectedly died.

We're going to take a look back at the saxophone player's history with Kimmel and see how his career in showbiz played out.

Escobedo was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. His father was a saxophone player who worked at Caesar's Palace as a busboy.

Escobedo and Kimmel -- who moved with his parents from Brooklyn, New York, to Las Vegas at an early age -- met when the comedian's family settled across the street from his future bandleader.

The pair grew incredibly close over the years, and Kimmel described their close connection as a "lifetime of friendship."

The musician started playing saxophone at an early age, and he later attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, although he ended up focusing on his musical career, according to The New York Times.

Escobedo started his career by playing gigs at various venues on the Las Vegas Strip before he was asked to join Paula Abdul's touring band in 1990.

He eventually landed a record deal with Virgin Records, and he also toured with artists like Marc Anthony and Luis Miguel.

Escobedo was touring with Anthony when Kimmel asked him to serve as his band leader, and the comedian had to take ABC's higher-ups to see his childhood friend play live to convince them of his musical chops.

Escobedo served as Kimmel's band leader for over two decades, and he invited his father to join his band.

Kimmel announced Escobedo's death in a post on his Instagram account in November 2025.

Details about the exact cause of the saxophone player's death were not immediately released.

Kimmel paid a lengthy tribute to Escobedo during his show on November 11th, and he became visibly emotional.

Jen Affleck -- 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' star and recent "Dancing with the Stars" contestant -- is sharing her thoughts on costar Whitney Leavitt's performance in the competition, telling us her money is actually on hunky wildlife expert Robert Irwin.

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TMZ’s got your first look at the wild new trailer -- the three-parter dives deep into Mary’s eyebrow-raising marriage to her step-grandfather, Robert Cosby Sr., and the misconduct claims that dragged Faith Temple Pentecostal Church into one seriously controversial new chapter.

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Jimmy Kimmel broke down in tears as he honored his late friend and "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" band leader Cleto Escobedo III during Tuesday night's show, just hours after announcing his shocking death.

Check out the heartfelt tribute -- the late night TV host remembered Cleto not only as an impressive musician who was a staple to the show for over 2 decades, but as one of his closest friends.

Jimmy recalled meeting Cleto and automatically clicking with him after his parents moved their family from Brooklyn, New York to Las Vegas, Nevada when he was a kid. He said they were like brothers, basically inseparable -- and even claimed he once slept over Cleto's house "33 nights in a row."

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The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony delivered a night of pure nostalgia, powerhouse performances, and emotional tributes with Salt-N-Pepa, OutKast, and The White Stripes leading the charge.

Salt-N-Pepa kicked things off in full "Push It" mode ... rocking their iconic multicolored leather jackets and igniting the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles Saturday with a medley of "Shoop," "Let's Talk About Sex," and "What a Man."

"This is for every woman who picked up a mic when they told her she couldn't," Salt said as DJ Spinderella made history as the first female DJ ever inducted.

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Pete, who's expecting his first child, added, "I assume that's what the article says; I can’t spend $5 on a paywall when I got a kid on the way." He also quipped, "I'm just excited to be a dad and give it all the energy and enthusiasm I never had for this show."

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Take a good scroll through the gallery and you'll find: Venus Binkley, Jason Cohen, Shayne Davis, Chris Hahn, Kim Suarez, Angelica Jensen, Marcus Johnson, Audrey Lingle, Natalie Maguire and Demy Selem.

Say goodbye to a loss of appetite, 'cuz Bravo's latest cast is ready to fry your goat cheese balls with mouthwatering looks 🥵!

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