Cleto and the Cletones
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The Cletones | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Cleto and the Cletones |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | United Artists |
| Members | Cleto Escobedo Jr. Jeff Babko Toshi Yanagi Jimmy Earl Jonathan Dresel |
| Past members | Cleto Escobedo III (deceased) |
The Cletones, formerly Cleto and the Cletones, is the American house band on the ABC-TV late-night television program, Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003–present).[1]
Overview
[edit]The band is named after Cleto Escobedo III, who was the leader of the sextet from 1995 until 2025, and played the alto, tenor, and soprano saxophones on the show, as well as occasionally singing both on camera and off (for comedy bits and other musical segments). He grew up as a neighbor of host Jimmy Kimmel in Las Vegas; after briefly attending UNLV, he joined the band Santa Fe (now Santa Fe and The Fat City Horns).[2]
They appeared on the seventh episode of the I Love Music Podcast with Jen Fodor.[3]
On November 11, 2025, Kimmel announced via Instagram that his longtime bandleader and friend Cleto Escobedo III had died that day at the age of 59.[4][5]
The band's name was changed to the Cletones following Escobedo's death.[6]
Collaborations
[edit]Cleto Escobedo III, Cleto Escobedo Jr. and Jeff Babko made a guest appearance on Lazlo Bane's album Guilty Pleasures.
Discography
[edit]- Los Blues Volume One Cleto The Cletones Jimmy Kimmel LP[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Cleto and the Cletones: Late Night Family Demands Respect". International Musician. 2018-08-04. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
- ^ Mauch, Ally (2021-10-08). "Jimmy Kimmel Live!'s Guillermo Rodriguez Recalls How He Landed on the Show 18 Years Ago". People. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ^ "Ep 7 || Cleto & the Cletones - I Love Music Podcast with Jen Fodor - Podcast on iVoox". iVoox. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
- ^ Moore, Julia; Esquibias, Liza (November 11, 2025). "Jimmy Kimmel's Lifelong Friend and 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' Band Leader Cleto Escobedo Dies at 59: 'We Are Heartbroken'". People.com.
- ^ Deb, Sopan (2025-11-11). "Cleto Escobedo III, Jimmy Kimmel's Bandleader, Dies at 59". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-11-12.
- ^ Coleman, Ryan (November 19, 2025). "Jimmy Kimmel Live house band changes name after band leader Cleto Escobedo's death". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ^ "vinyl-renaissance.com". www.vinyl-renaissance.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
External links
[edit]| Authority control databases: Artists |
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