Brett James, the Grammy-winning songwriter celebrated for penning Carrie Underwood’s breakout hit “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and dozens of other country chart-toppers, died Thursday in a small-plane crash. He was 57.
According to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, James’ plane went down in a field near Franklin, North Carolina, around 3 p.m. The FAA confirmed the aircraft was registered under his name. Data from FlightAware shows the plane departed John C. Tune Airport in Nashville before crashing near Iotla Valley Elementary School, roughly 270 miles away.
Local authorities reassured the community that students and staff at the nearby school were safe. “There was an airplane accident on the neighboring property. Again all students and staff are safe,” the Macon County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
The FAA reported three people were on board, and the National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
James’ influence on country music stretched across decades. He won a Grammy in 2006 for Best Country Song for co-writing “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and went on to work with artists including Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Keith Urban, and Kenny Chesney. His credits also include Chesney’s hit “Out Last Night.”
Over his career, James wrote more than 500 songs that appeared on albums selling more than 110 million copies worldwide, according to the Nashville Songwriters Association International.
He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 and founded his own publishing company, Cornman Music. Beyond songwriting, James served on the board of the Country Music Association and as a national trustee of The Recording Academy.
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) honored James in a statement: “Brett was a trusted collaborator to country’s greatest names, and a true advocate for his fellow songwriters.”
Artists also took to social media to share their grief. Country star Dierks Bentley wrote on Instagram: “Rest in peace pal. Total stud. Fellow aviator. One of the best singer-songwriters in our town… total legend.”
As the investigation into the crash continues, the music world mourns the loss of a songwriter whose words and melodies defined a generation of country music.
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