Jimmy Kimmel’s Lifelong Friend and Jimmy Kimmel Live! Band Leader Cleto Escobedo’s Cause of Death Revealed

Cleto Escobedo III’s official cause of death has been disclosed.

A death certificate obtained by TMZ lists cardiogenic shock as the immediate cause of death. Additional underlying factors included vasodilatory shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. Other serious medical conditions also contributed, including sepsis, graft versus host disease, immunosuppression, chronic kidney disease, and pneumonia.

Cardiogenic shock is a severe, life-threatening condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood throughout the body, according to the Mayo Clinic. It is often associated with a major heart attack, though it does not occur in every case.

Escobedo — the longtime leader of Cleto and the Cletones — died on Nov. 11 at the age of 59. His close friend Jimmy Kimmel confirmed the news on Instagram, remembering him as a “great friend, father, son, musician and man,” and honoring their decades-long bond as colleagues on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Cleto and the Cletones have been the show’s house band since its debut in 2003.

“To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement,” Kimmel wrote at the time. “Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old. The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us imagined would come true.” He also asked the public to keep Escobedo’s family “in your prayers.”

Kimmel later told ABC7 that Escobedo was a “child prodigy” who toured with Earth, Wind & Fire and Paula Abdul, and even landed his own record deal before joining the late-night show. Kimmel recalled insisting his friend lead the band.

During the Nov. 11 episode, Kimmel delivered an emotional tribute to Escobedo, calling it the hardest monologue he had ever given. The show then paused production for two days, while Cleto Escobedo Sr. stepped in to perform with the band that night.

Escobedo spoke fondly about his role on the show during a 2021 ABC Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month featurette, calling it the “best gig ever.” He credited his father — once a touring saxophonist who later worked at Caesar’s Palace to support his son — for inspiring him to take up music and pursue a life on stage.