Cleto Escobedo III's Bandleading Legacy Lives On as Cause of Death Revealed
The news surrounding the passing of Cleto Escobedo III, longtime bandleader for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, has shed some light on the circumstances surrounding his death. According to a document obtained by TMZ, cardiogenic shock was listed as the immediate cause, which was allegedly triggered by complications related to a liver transplant at UCLA Medical Center.
Further analysis of Escobedo's death certificate reveals that underlying causes included vasodilatory shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. The document also lists additional conditions that contributed to his demise, including sepsis, graft versus host disease, immunosuppressed state, chronic kidney disease, pneumonia, and more.
Cardiogenic shock is defined by the Mayo Clinic as a life-threatening condition where the heart fails to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. While often linked to severe heart attacks, not everyone who suffers from a heart attack will experience cardiogenic shock.
Jimmy Kimmel, Escobedo's childhood friend and fellow bandleader, recently paid tribute to his late pal during his Tuesday night monologue, describing him as the "nicest, most humble, kind, and always funny person." The host shared fond memories of their time together at Jimmy Kimmel Live!, highlighting Escobedo's affection for the show and its success.
Keyboardist-musical arranger Jeff Babko, who collaborated with Escobedo on the late-night show for over 30 years, also spoke to Rolling Stone about his friend. He lauded Escobedo's musicality, stating that he "loved groove" and was deeply influenced by artists like Stevie Wonder, Rufus, Donny Hathaway, Tower of Power, and Sting. Babko remembered Escobedo as a kindred spirit who valued authenticity and genuine expression over technical perfection.
In the wake of his passing, Escobedo's loved ones have been left to cope with their grief, with many sharing heartfelt tributes to his memory. The legacy of Cleto Escobedo III will undoubtedly be felt at Jimmy Kimmel Live! for years to come, as he leaves behind a remarkable body of work and the enduring friendships forged over a lifetime of collaboration.
The news surrounding the passing of Cleto Escobedo III, longtime bandleader for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, has shed some light on the circumstances surrounding his death. According to a document obtained by TMZ, cardiogenic shock was listed as the immediate cause, which was allegedly triggered by complications related to a liver transplant at UCLA Medical Center.
Further analysis of Escobedo's death certificate reveals that underlying causes included vasodilatory shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. The document also lists additional conditions that contributed to his demise, including sepsis, graft versus host disease, immunosuppressed state, chronic kidney disease, pneumonia, and more.
Cardiogenic shock is defined by the Mayo Clinic as a life-threatening condition where the heart fails to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. While often linked to severe heart attacks, not everyone who suffers from a heart attack will experience cardiogenic shock.
Jimmy Kimmel, Escobedo's childhood friend and fellow bandleader, recently paid tribute to his late pal during his Tuesday night monologue, describing him as the "nicest, most humble, kind, and always funny person." The host shared fond memories of their time together at Jimmy Kimmel Live!, highlighting Escobedo's affection for the show and its success.
Keyboardist-musical arranger Jeff Babko, who collaborated with Escobedo on the late-night show for over 30 years, also spoke to Rolling Stone about his friend. He lauded Escobedo's musicality, stating that he "loved groove" and was deeply influenced by artists like Stevie Wonder, Rufus, Donny Hathaway, Tower of Power, and Sting. Babko remembered Escobedo as a kindred spirit who valued authenticity and genuine expression over technical perfection.
In the wake of his passing, Escobedo's loved ones have been left to cope with their grief, with many sharing heartfelt tributes to his memory. The legacy of Cleto Escobedo III will undoubtedly be felt at Jimmy Kimmel Live! for years to come, as he leaves behind a remarkable body of work and the enduring friendships forged over a lifetime of collaboration.
my heart goes out to jimmy kimmel & jeff babko 
they're gonna miss cleto so much... the way he brought music to live tv was truly special 
i remember watching jimmy kimmel live! all these years & always looking forward to cleto's performance 
his legacy will live on in the music we loved him for 
he was literally the heartbeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live!'s band, you know? I think it's kinda sad that his passing is overshadowed by all these medical stuff... 
Like, yeah, liver transplant and whatnot are serious business, but can't we just celebrate the music, ya know? 
He was such an iconic figure in that show, and I loved watching him jam with Jimmy. And Babko's tribute to him was so sweet! 
It's clear that Escobedo was all about spreading joy and good vibes through his music. We should be honoring that, not just his medical history... 
. And can we talk about how humble he was for such a huge impact in the music world? It's really inspiring to see his love for Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway shine through. I'm sure Jimmy Kimmel is going to keep pushing those boundaries too 
... one minute you're rockin' out with jimmy kimmel live!, the next your heart just stops beatin'. it's like, we put so much emphasis on our physical health, but what really matters is the music in our souls, right? and cleto had that in spades. his legacy lives on not just through his work but through the people he touched... like jimmy kimmel and jeff babko, who knew him in different ways but both spoke to the same person: kind, humble, funny... those are the qualities we should be striving for 
it's like his liver was all messed up from that transplant 
guess you could say his heart just gave out on him sadly 
Jimmy Kimmel seems really down about it, nice tribute tho 
can you imagine not seeing him behind the drums every week? 
so cleto escobedo 3rd passin away & its like super sad 
he was like a legend on jimmy kimmel live! & everybody loved him 
jk's all shook up rn but at least his legacy lives on & hes still gonna be makin music in our hearts 
It's crazy how he contributed so much to the show's success over the years. His love for groove and authentic expression really shines through in his work. It's a shame that his health issues took a toll on him at the end... 
, guess we'll just have to wait for more info. it's sad that he's gone, though... Escobedo's legacy will live on at Jimmy Kimmel Live! but what about his personal life? was he happy before the transplant? so many questions 
as for the cause of death, it's just so sad that complications from a liver transplant took him 
just thinking about Cleto's passing is sad... but I guess his legacy lives on 
. the fact that they're already talking about how much he influenced their work is crazy... I mean, who else could make a musical arrangement sound so funky? 
but at the same time, his health struggles are really sobering 
. It's a sobering reminder to prioritize our health and self-care, especially in our industry where we often put pressure on ourselves to perform 
i mean his legacy is gonna live on at jimmy kimmel live! but it's still hard to believe he's gone 
and his collab history with jeff babko is insane 
rip cleto 
. Rest in peace, Cleto... you're gonna be deeply missed 
. And 30 years on Jimmy Kimmel Live!... I'm sure he loved it, but can't we give our bandleaders a break from the spotlight every once in a while? 
At least Jeff Babko is talking about his friend and all that jazz, but still... 
yeah he got sepsis and stuff, but that's like the universe trying to tell him something, you know? 
and can we talk about how humble he was? Jimmy kimmel raved about him as a childhood friend and they had an amazing bond 
it's not about if cleto was funny or talented (he was, obvs) but that he lived life on his own terms and didn't let anyone define him 