Cleto Escobedo III, the band leader on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and a lifelong friend of the late-night host, died Tuesday morning. He was 59.

Escobedo’s death was announced by Kimmel on social media . His cause and location of death were not revealed.

“To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement,” Kimmel wrote. “Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old. The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true.”

The Nov. 6 episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was canceled on short notice last week. At the time, reports said Kimmel was attending to a personal matter. That matter was visiting Escobedo in the hospital, who had been absent from the show for weeks, according to TMZ.

Escobedo has led Kimmel’s band,

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