Brett James, the Grammy-winning songwriter behind Carrie Underwood's hit 'Jesus, Take the Wheel', has died in a plane crash in North Carolina, along with his wife and stepdaughter. The 57-year-old was flying in a Cirrus SR22T that crashed under unknown circumstances in a wooded area of Franklin on Thursday.
The aircraft had taken off from John C Tune airport in Nashville, Tennessee. The North Carolina state highway patrol confirmed the other two victims were Melody Carole, identified as James' wife, and Meryl Maxwell Wilson, his stepdaughter. Flight records show the plane was registered under James' legal name, Brett Cornelius. It is unclear who was piloting.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, which inducted James in 2020, paid tribute on Facebook, with executive director Mark Ford saying: 'He was a kind, giving, delightful soul. We join Brett’s family and our entire industry in mourning not only his untimely passing but also the songs that he had left to write.'
James, originally from Oklahoma City, left medical school to pursue music in Nashville. He co-wrote more than 500 songs recorded by artists including Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Kelly Clarkson, Meghan Trainor and Nick Jonas. His songs appeared on albums with combined sales of over 110 million copies.
Carrie Underwood wrote on Instagram: '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.' Jason Aldean said on X: 'Heartbroken to hear of the loss of my friend Brett James … I had nothing but love and respect for that guy and he helped change my life.'
