Paula Abdul mourns the heartbreaking loss of Cleto Escobedo III, the elder Jimmy Kimmel Live! bandleader who accompanied her on her first world tour.
Following Cleto’s unexpected death at the age of 59, the Grammy-winning singer shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram on Wednesday, November 12, remembering the talented musician she first met in Las Vegas decades ago.
“My heart is heavy today as we say goodbye to the incredible Cleto Escobedo III,” Abdul, 63, wrote alongside a throwback clip of the two performing her hit “Forever Your Girl.” “I first met Cleto when he was playing the saxophone in a small bar at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.”
Abdul immediately remembered that she knew she had to hire him for her Under my spell tour in 1991 – her first world tour – even though Cleto had never toured before.
“His talent and energy were undeniable, and he had an amazing career, reuniting with his best friend Jimmy Kimmel as the bandleader on Jimmy Kimmel Live!” she continued. “Cleto was pure light and soul, both on and off stage.”
Kimmel, who announced Cleto’s death in an Instagram post, also paid tribute to his childhood friend and bandmate in a tearful monologue on Tuesday night.
“Early this morning we lost an amazing friend, father, son, musician and husband,” he wrote on Instagram before the show. “Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was 9 years old. The fact that we had to work together every day is a dream that neither of us ever imagined would come true.”
Fighting back tears, the late night show host told viewers, “The idea of anyone other than him leading the band was terrifying. It had to be him.”
Jimmy Kimmel Live! has since been on a short hiatus as Kimmel needs time to grieve.
However, Cleto’s cause of death has not yet been confirmed Page six reported that this may have been due to complications of liver transplantation.
