Obituary: Jim Salestrom

It is with great sadness we announce the death of well-known entertainer and singer- songwriter Jim Salestrom. Jim passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 22 surrounded by loved ones at his home in Arvada, CO after a decade-long battle with cancer. He was 67 years old.

James Kevin Salestrom impacted countless lives throughout his long and successful musical career. To his family he was a loving husband, father, grandfather, son and brother. He was born February 20, 1956 in Omaha, NE to Virgil and Janice Salestrom. He is survived by his wife Pamela Dailer Salestrom, his daughter Casey, son-in-law Brandon Freeman and son James Salestrom Jr. of Nashville, TN. The true joy of his life was his grandson – Casey and Brandon’s son, Thomas James. Jim also dearly loved his brothers Chuck and Tom Salestrom and their families.

To his fans Jim was a joy to listen to, a world class singer-songwriter and an Emmy winning performer. His love of music started at the early age of 7 when he got his first guitar. As he got older, he started writing songs, and formed several groups in Nebraska with his brother Chuck. The most notable of these was Timberline, which further launched his career. 

He played guitar and sang in Dolly Parton’s band over the course of decades. Her shows took him all over the world. Jim also had a close relationship with John Denver and performed with him throughout the years. He shared his love of life and positive spirit through his music. He worked with countless wonderful musicians and performed for five U.S. Presidents, and numerous members of the U.S. Supreme Court.

He treated everyone with love and respect. Jim was known for his humor, infectious smile, positive outlook on life and a gift to make everyone feel special. He sang like an angel, and luckily his music will endure long past his lifetime. In one of his final notes Jim said, “I am eternally grateful for all of you, and it’s not “goodbye”, it’s just “see you later”. Plans for memorial services will be announced on Jim Salestrom’s social media and website. 

Please see a link to a video of his song “Grateful.”

Watch his TedxBigSky performance.