Jimmy Kimmel Live! has introduced a heartfelt and permanent tribute to its late bandleader Cleto Escobedo III, who passed away earlier this month. The subtle but meaningful change comes after more than 20 years of Escobedo’s influence on the late-night TV show and its host.
Going forward, the show's house band will be known simply as The Cletones. It had been called Cleto and the Cletones since the show's inaugural episode in 2003. The move symbolically moves Cleto from the band leader to an eternal part of the show, for however long it lasts.
Escobedo was more than just the musical backbone of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. He and Kimmel were childhood best friends, growing up together in Las Vegas and forming a bond that defined both of their lives. When Kimmel got his own late-night series, bringing Cleto with him was the only choice.
In the emotional episode following Escobedo’s passing, Kimmel spent more than 20 minutes remembering his best friend, recalling how they met and instantly connected before becoming practically inseparable. Renaming the band is an extension of that tribute and a way for the show to ensure that Escobedo’s presence remains felt night after night.
Importantly, Cleto Escobedo Jr., Cleto’s father and a member of the band, continues to perform with the group. His presence adds even more resonance to the tribute, keeping a living connection to Cleto III onstage each night. The father-son duo has long been a unique element of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and its continuation under the newly named Cletones feels both comforting and essential.
It's a tragedy that Cleto will no longer be able to share his gift with late-night TV audiences. Even more heartbreaking is the friends and families who now have to find a way to move on without him. There's no risk of anyone forgetting Cleto or what he contributed to the show. But renaming the band in his honor is just another way of keeping the musician's memory alive. Now, announcer Lou Wilson will continue to say "The Cletones" to kick off every episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and in the process, keep Cleto a part of the show..
Watch Jimmy Kimmel Live! nightly at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.