Grammy-Winning Songwriter Brett James Killed in North Carolina Plane Crash

Lead Brett James, the 57-year-old Grammy-winning country songwriter, died Thursday when the Cirrus SR22T he was piloting crashed near Franklin, North Carolina, killing all three onboard.

Nut Graf James, inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020, penned chart-topping hits including Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel.” His sudden death has stunned the music community and prompted investigations by the FAA and NTSB.

Crash Details

  • The single-engine Cirrus SR22T took off from Nashville’s John C. Tune Airport at 12:41 p.m. CDT and went down around 3 p.m. EDT near Iotla Valley Elementary School in Macon County, North Carolina.
  • Authorities confirmed no survivors among the three passengers. School staff and students were unharmed.
  • The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board have launched a joint investigation into the cause of the crash.

Career Achievements

  • Brett James wrote more than 300 songs recorded by major artists, earning two ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year Awards (2006, 2010) and a Grammy for Best Country Song with “Jesus, Take the Wheel” in 2006.
  • His credits include Carrie Underwood’s “Cowboy Casanova,” Kenny Chesney’s “When the Sun Goes Down,” Dierks Bentley’s “I Hold On,” Jason Aldean’s “The Truth,” and Rascal Flatts’ “Summer Nights”.
  • James served on the boards of the Country Music Association, The Recording Academy, and the Nashville Songwriters Association International.

Community Reaction

  • Fellow songwriters and artists expressed shock and sorrow on social media.
  • Sara Evans wrote, “I am absolutely devastated at the loss of one of the best writers I’ve ever written with… He will be so missed.”
  • The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame paid tribute, mourning the “untimely loss” of its 2020 inductee.

Investigation Underway

  • The FAA confirmed the plane was registered to Brett Cornelius of Brentwood, Tennessee, and will oversee the probe with the NTSB leading the on-site investigation.
  • Further details and a probable cause report are expected in the coming months.