Country singer and songwriter Brett James, renowned for his impactful hit “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” tragically lost his life in a small plane crash in the mountainous region of North Carolina on Thursday. Authorities confirmed his death on Friday, revealing that he was traveling with two others when the accident occurred.
James, who also gained fame for the song “When the Sun Goes Down,” was aboard a single-engine Cirrus SR22T plane that crashed near Lotla Valley Elementary School in Franklin, North Carolina, approximately an hour west of Asheville. He was 57 years old at the time of the incident. The aircraft was registered to James under his legal name, Brett James Cornelius, as per the information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It remains unclear whether he was piloting the plane at the time of the crash.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol has confirmed the identities of the other two individuals who perished in the crash: Melody Carole and Meryl Maxwell Wilson. Following the tragic event, both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board announced that an investigation into the crash will be undertaken. The flight had departed from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville, Tennessee.
Brett James was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020, a testament to his significant contributions to the genre. The organization released a heartfelt statement mourning his loss, reflecting on his impact on the music industry. A native of Oklahoma City, James made a bold decision to leave medical school to pursue a musical career in Nashville, as outlined in his biography on the Hall of Fame's official website.
James's career took off with his first No. 1 hit, “Who I Am,” performed by Jessica Andrews in 2001. His co-written song, “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” which was recorded by Carrie Underwood, won the Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 2006, among other accolades. Over his illustrious career, James had more than 500 songs recorded, contributing to albums that achieved combined sales exceeding 110 million copies, according to his biography on the Grand Ole Opry website.
Throughout his career, Brett James wrote songs for numerous popular artists, including Faith Hill, Kelly Clarkson, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Nick Jonas, and Meghan Trainor. Some of his additional hits include “Cowboy Casanova” by Carrie Underwood, “Out Last Night” by Kenny Chesney, and “Summer Nights” by Rascal Flatts. His versatility as a songwriter allowed him to connect with audiences across various styles within the country music genre.
Following the news of James's tragic passing, fellow country singer Jason Aldean expressed his condolences on social media platform X. “Heartbroken to hear of the loss of my friend Brett James tonight,” Aldean wrote. “I had nothing but love and respect for that guy, and he helped change my life. Honored to have met him and worked with him.”
In 2020, James recorded his own album, where he emphasized a shift in his songwriting approach. “At my stage in life, I’m not going to write about driving around in pickup trucks, chasing girls,” he stated on the Opry site. “It needed to feel more classic, lyrically. They all wound up being love songs, but hopefully love songs with a twist that haven’t all been written before.”
The legacy of Brett James will undoubtedly live on through his extensive catalog of music and the profound influence he had on the country music community.
