Brett James, the Grammy-winning songwriter behind Carrie Underwood's hit 'Jesus, Take the Wheel', died alongside his wife and stepdaughter in a plane crash in North Carolina on Thursday. The 57-year-old was flying a Cirrus SR22T that crashed 'under unknown circumstances' in a wooded area of Franklin, according to authorities.
The aircraft had taken off from John C Tune airport in Nashville, Tennessee. Flight records show the plane was registered under James's legal name, Brett Cornelius. The North Carolina state highway patrol confirmed the other victims were Melody Carole and Meryl Maxwell Wilson, identified by reports as James's wife and stepdaughter. It remains unclear whether James was piloting the plane.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the crash. The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, which inducted James in 2020, mourned his death on Facebook, with executive director describing him as 'a kind, giving, delightful soul'. James left medical school to pursue music in Nashville, and his songs have appeared on albums with combined sales of over 110 million copies.
Carrie Underwood paid tribute on Instagram, writing: 'Some things are just unfathomable. The loss of Brett James to his family, friends and our music community is too great to put into words.' Country singer Jason Aldean also expressed his grief on X, saying: 'Heartbroken to hear of the loss of my friend Brett James... I had nothing but love and respect for that guy.'
