Our Inspiration
The truth about the Gospel Jubilee is that is started 50 years ago. It started with Jim Arneson and his start in Gospel Music. That was 50 years in 2012.
In that same year, Jim was tragically killed by a drunk driver. Dennis Kelly, a retired Everett policeman who lives in Arlington, grew up with Jim Arneson. They graduated together from Cascade High School in the mid-1960s.
“I had been waiting for Jim to retire to his little farm in Arlington,” Kelly said. “We had lots of fun as kids playing outside and fishing and my family went to the church where Jim’s dad was the pastor. Some preachers’ kids can be wild hairs, but not Jim. He lived a great life, stood out for Christ and enjoyed his passion for singing.”
Jim had run the Easter Sun Rise service at the Floral Hills Cemetery and after Jim passed the Cemetery notified Jim’s family, they would no longer be continuing the tradition he had continued for so many years.
Jim Arneson & Crossroads New Revival
Jim Loved this song and singing with his Son Thory. We’ll meet up with you & your Dad at the big singin’ in Heaven! Featuring: The Late Jim Arneson – Bass, Thory Arneson – Baritone, Mark Kronquist – Tenor and Scott Malkuch – Lead
In April of 2012 the family was at the 38th Annual Easter Sunrise service at the Floral Hills cemetery that they had done every Easter for 38 years. While in the breakfast room, Pastor Byron came over to the table that Cheryl and Aimee were sitting at and shared an idea that he had, had in his heart. The idea was to start a hymn sing to continue my Jim’s legacy of Gospel music. Incredibly enough Cheryl and Aimee had the same vision. Pastor Byron shared the name that had been on his heart. The Gospel Jubilee.
Jim’s radio program was called Gospel Jubilee, and Pastor Byron explained that Jubilee means 50 years. And so the Gospel Jubilee was born in July 2012. And it has been running 7 years July. We have seen it grow and touch people’s lives and we pray that the Gospel Jubilee would continuing touching lives for generations to come. That the legacy of Jim Arneson would live on through The Gospel Jubilee and Gospel music for generations to come.
The Gospel Jubilee is a “Hymn Sing”
Pastor Byron Newby and our family The Arneson’s Cheryl, Aimee, Thory, Joli and Zach in the booth run the Jubilee. We are Blessed by many talented singers and musicians and special guests, to be a part of this. On the piano is Virginia Sather, on the guitar is Doug Tutmarc, and Norm Salvesen is on the bass.
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Byron & Linda Newby
Pastor Byron And Linda Newby
Byron and Linda Newby grew up in the church singing gospel music.
Byron was raised in a pastor’s family where his mom and dad filled the home and car with their singing. He always enjoyed singing harmony in church services, sang in the choir, and sang in a quartet as a teenager.
Linda took voice lessons as a teenager and went to national finals in the Assemblies of God teen talent contest. She sang in the select choir of Northwest University and traveled throughout the region for the University, singing in a ladies’ trio.
The Newby’s have been in full-time ministry for 50 years.
Pastor Arvid And Virginia
Pastor Arvid And Virginia Sather
Arvid and Virginia have been in ministry over 65 years, traveling and singing, and have pastored The Happy Church for 47 years. Virginia plays piano for us and helps arrange our songs, and Arvid is a dynamic tenor singer.
They are amazing Christians, with such a heart for the Lord and for people. We are thankful for their dedication to our hymn sing and for their daily prayers for our ministry. They are a big part of our Gospel Jubilee, and We are so blessed to have them!
Cheryl Arneson
Cheryl Arneson
Jim and I were partners in Gospel Music for over 40 years. I met Jim when he was forming The Crossroads Quartet with my Dad.
I guess you could say that Gospel Music has always been in our blood. We both grew up with a passion for touching people lives through song. Through most of our years in ministry I have always worked behind the scenes whether it be labeling flyers, picking up products, picking up dry cleaning, phone calls, or handling our insurance business.
I held the pieces together for Jim and our partnership was so special. I did anything and everything that helped forward the music ministry. Always keeping the home fires burning! I did have the opportunity to sing through the years at various, weddings, funerals, get togethers, etc.
Together we raised 6 children who are now grown, and all have a love for the Lord and Gospel Music. Just before Jim passed I was able to spend the last few years singing and traveling together in our family group, singing and speaking about the Love of Jesus. I Love the opportunity to share the gospel in song. As my husband had done for so many years.
As Jim would sign off,
Singing His Song!
Joli Meabon
Joli Meabon
As a young girl, I grew up singing with my Dad at church and with our family group.
I always traveled with my Dad on the weekends with his Quartet, and on Saturday nights to his radio station program, Gospel Jubilee. Our favorite tradition was always stopping at Dicks on the way for a cheeseburger. I have amazing memories of growing up and being in Gospel Music with my family. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
I married my childhood sweetheart Phil Meabon and we have 5 beautiful children Makenna, Lucas, Miranda, Colbi, and Toby. We just celebrated 22 years of marriage. God has been so good to us and I’m so thankful for the opportunity to sing and live out our family Legacy of Gospel Music.
Thory Arneson
Thory Arneson
From a young child I was involved in Gospel Music with my Dad and Grandpa. When I would see the bus leave on the weekends I wanted to be on it the next time it left.
From standing beside my Dad as he drove the bus, to hauling equipment, to playing the drums, to singing.
I learned how to drive a bus from my Dad. And every time I would head out on a run my Dad would call me and say looking tall T!
Music has always been my passion and I cherish my Gospel Music heritage. My son Isaac is 21 and he also loves singing. Papa instilled in him at a young age the importance of following your dreams and passions as he always attended his school choir concerts. And Isaac’s favorite memory was going out to get a frosty after. Singing has been in our family for generations and we are happy to carry it on.
Hit me up at a concert for a funny memory or a good joke. I’ve always looked for humor in life!
Aimee “Arneson” Wescott
Aimee “Arneson” Wescott
I grew up in a gospel music family, it’s in my blood. I am a third generation gospel singer, singing has been my passion, I love ministering and sharing what God has done for me and my family.
Growing up, Sundays and every other day that my Dad went singing I would hurry up and get my chores done, so that I could jump on the bus and head out on the weekend and join him and his Quartet as they went singing. I met so many wonderful people and memories I will cherish forever. We traveled from Red Deer convention, to Fresno Convention, and all the churches in between. If my Dad grabbed his singing clothes, I grabbed mine! I always wanted to sing with my Dad, and I’m so thankful to have lived that dream. And now my dream of singing continues with my Mom and family.
In 2015 I recorded my first solo album and am so proud of the work I did with the amazing musicians who played on the album with me. The Gospel Jubilee is us, it’s our legacy, we love the music we sing and we love those we are able to sing to. They bless us so much more than we could ever bless them.
I am married to David Wescott and we have two beautiful children, Madalyn and David. We pray that they too would carry on the tradition of Gospel Music! It is our Passion and our Love. I’m so blessed to be apart of my family Legacy of Gospel Music.
Dave Wescott
Dave Wescott
Dave is a business man and has many great ideas for helping grow our Jubilee. He is the man behind the website and has financed and organized the whole thing. Without him, this wouldn’t be possible. He is also a big encourager and supporter. He prays for the ministry of the Jubilee every day in his devotions and loves to see people’s lives touched and to see the Gospel spread.
Dave and I met at one of my Dad’s concerts 15 years ago. We became best friends and got married in August of 2014. We are so blessed to have him be a part of our ministry and are also blessed by his hard work in setup.
Dave grew up loving gospel music and comes from a musical family; his Dad Jim and brother Jimmy are also singers and his mom plays the piano. As kids, they went to many assisted living and nursing homes and sang and ministered as a family. He believes in gospel music and keeping it alive for generations to come.
We are also excited to pass it on to our children as we feel so blessed to have grown up in it and around it. God is good and faithful!
Zach Arneson
Zach Arneson
Zach is our behind the scenes IT guy. He makes us sound good. He also for many years with his Dad, created all of the flyers, postcards, emails, and the list goes on.
His talented wife Brooke is an amazing photographer and has taken our promo pictures. She also helps with the food setup. And is a huge help. They are a great team. They have two beautiful girls Stella, and Arlandria, and just had a baby boy Judah. Zach also has many fond memories riding the bus on the weekends with his Dad and the Quartet going singing and also singing on stage in the Jim Arneson family Band.
He always claimed the top bunk drivers side, and said he learned by rolling out of the bunk one night to hold on tight! He was also taught to drive the bus by his Dad, and got to drive across the country from Pennsylvania with his drivers’ permit! He is an amazing bus driver. We are so thankful and blessed to have them a part of our Gospel Jubilee and family Legacy.