Musician Sheila E. paid a heartfelt tribute to her late friend Cleto Escobedo III, the longtime bandleader of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, who passed away at the age of 59.
Speaking exclusively to the People, at the HeartRadio’s Not Alone Awards on Tuesday, Nov. 11, in Las Vegas, Sheila E. reflected emotionally on the loss of Escobedo. “I lost a really good friend last night,” she added, “He passed away at 1 a.m. … during dinner, I was getting text messages and I'm like, oh my God, and I was just praying that maybe he could hold on until I got home on Thursday.”
The Grammy-winning artist, who had known Escobedo since the 1990s, recalled, “I’ve known him a really long time … I don't even know how we met because it was so long. It was in the ‘90s, but you know, I did his first single. I produced his first record, and he's just incredible.” She also revealed that the two were trying to determine if they were related, as their surnames-Escovedo and Escobedo, were nearly identical. She also told the People, “Because our names were spelt with one letter different, my grandfather changed our name from B to V, so we think that we were related.”.
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Sheila E. also honoured Escobedo on Facebook, writing, “With a heavy heart we have lost a dear friend Cleto Escobedo. … He has been a true brother and an amazing musician and artist. I’m so heartbroken there are no words.”
Jimmy Kimmel also mourned his lifelong friend in a touching Instagram post and emotional on-air tribute, saying “Early this morning, we lost a great friend, father, son, musician and man, my longtime bandleader Cleto Escobedo III. To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement. Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old,”
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Kimmel also wrote, adding, “The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true. Cherish your friends and please keep Cleto's wife, children and parents in your prayers.”
