Grammy-Winning Songwriter Brett James Dies at 57 in North Carolina Plane Crash

Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James died in a plane crash in Franklin, North Carolina, on Thursday, September 18, along with two other passengers, with no survivors reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that a Cirrus SR22T aircraft crashed in a field west of Iotla Valley Elementary School around 3 p.m. local time. The FAA stated that three people were on board and announced it will investigate the incident alongside the National Transportation Safety Board.

Flight records indicate the aircraft was owned by Brett Cornelius and had departed from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville before the crash. James’ full name was Brett James Cornelius.

The Macon County Sheriff’s Office assured parents that all students and staff at the nearby elementary school remained safe, stating the crash occurred on neighboring property.

James, 57, was born on June 5, 1968, in Columbia, Missouri. He initially pursued medical studies before leaving college to enter the music industry. He was signed as a solo artist under Arista Nashville’s Career Records and released his debut album in 1995.

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, which inducted James in 2020, paid tribute to the “Jesus Take The Wheel” songwriter on Facebook. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) also announced his death, describing him as “a trusted collaborator to country’s greatest names, and a true advocate for his fellow songwriters.”

James served as a two-time Country Songwriter of the Year and wrote hits for major artists including Carrie Underwood (“Jesus, Take The Wheel,” “Cowboy Casanova”), Kenny Chesney (“When The Sun Goes Down,” “Out Last Night,” “Keg In the Closet”), Dierks Bentley (“I Hold On”), Jason Aldean (“The Truth”), and Rascal Flatts (“Summer Nights”).

Dierks Bentley responded to the news on Instagram, writing about their collaboration: “When I sing that song live, I’m always thinking of my dad, but I also think about that day we wrote it. He just got it, just lit into it. It was one of the first times we wrote and I decided to drop the most meaningful and necessary idea of a song I had on him, because I felt like God was telling me to do so. Our friendship and that song changed my life. Prayers for his family.”

James is survived by his wife Sandra Cornelius and their children. His final social media post on June 16 showed a group photo of family members gathered on a backyard deck, which he captioned “Such an amazing Father’s Day!!”