Jimmy Kimmel broke down in tears as he honored his late pal and “Jimmy Kimmel Dwell!” band chief Cleto Escobedo III throughout Tuesday evening’s present, simply hours after asserting his surprising loss of life.
Try the heartfelt tribute — the late evening TV host remembered Cleto not solely as a powerful musician who was a staple to the present for over 2 a long time, however as considered one of his closest mates.
Jimmy recalled assembly Cleto and mechanically clicking with him after his dad and mom moved their household from Brooklyn, New York to Las Vegas, Nevada when he was a child. He mentioned they had been like brothers, mainly inseparable — and even claimed he as soon as slept over Cleto’s home “33 nights in a row.”
After all, Jimmy gushed over Cleto’s musical prowess, calling him a “little one prodigy who would get standing ovations in junior highschool.” So, when Jimmy landed ‘Dwell!’ in 2003 … he mentioned he knew precisely who to name to steer the band.
Cleto was the chief of Cleto and the Cletones for practically 23 years, although he was quietly absent from the present in current months after falling unwell. His father, Cleto Escobedo II, was additionally within the band, enjoying the tenor and alto saxophone.
Jimmy mentioned Cleto’s father influenced him to develop into a musician — after halting his skilled profession to lift his household.
He raved … “I’ve usually mentioned that the only smartest thing about doing this present was getting the chance to permit Cleto Senior to select up the place he left off in 1966 and develop into a musician once more along with his son.”
The late musician as soon as mentioned he picked up an instrument due to his dad, and praised him for the sacrifices he made as a father, noting in a 2021 featurette … “I play sax as a result of he performed sax after I was a child … After I began going to high school, he give up enjoying simply so he may very well be dwelling with me and received a job as a busboy at Caesar’s Palace and labored there for 30 years.”
Cleto’s mom, Sylvia, was within the viewers throughout the 20-minute monologue.
Jimmy introduced his gifted pal’s loss of life on Instagram Tuesday. Though the present went on, he informed the viewers the Wednesday and Thursday broadcasts can be canceled.
It isn’t clear how Cleto died.
He was 59.
RIP
