Hitmaker Brett James, the songwriting genius behind Kenny Chesney’s When The Sun Goes Down and Carrie Underwood’s Jesus, Take the Wheel, has tragically passed away.
On Thursday, the 57-year-old was killed in a plane crash, cutting short the life of one of country music’s most celebrated writers.
Traveling with his wife
According to authorities, the small plane, carrying three people, went down Thursday afternoon in the woods near Franklin “under unknown circumstances,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed that there were no survivors.
James was aboard a Cirrus SR22T, registered under his legal name Brett James Cornelius, though it is unclear whether he was piloting the aircraft.
Also on board were two passengers: his second wife, Melody Wilson, 59, whom he married in 2021, and her daughter, Meryl Maxwell Wilson, 28. Both tragically died in the crash.
The plane had departed from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville. The single-engine aircraft crashed at approximately 3 p.m. local time.
In January 2022, Melody, who was 59 when she passed, shared that she had married James the previous summer, posting photos of the couple cutting their wedding cake.
“What an awesome year! August 21st Brett and I got married. Lucky me,” she wrote on Instagram.
Worked with Faith Hill, Luke Bryan and Keith Urban
James’ impact on country music was monumental. A native of Oklahoma City, he left medical school to chase his dream in Nashville. His first No. 1 hit came in 2001 with Jessica Andrews’ “Who I Am.” He co-wrote Underwood’s Jesus, Take the Wheel, which won the 2006 Grammy for Best Country Song.
Over his career, more than 500 of his songs were recorded, appearing on albums that sold over 110 million copies. His work reached artists including Faith Hill, Kelly Clarkson, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Nick Jonas, and Meghan Trainor.
Other notable hits include Underwood’s Cowboy Casanova, Chesney’s Out Last Night, and Rascal Flatts’ Summer Nights.
James was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020. The organization released a statement mourning his loss. Country star Jason Aldean shared his grief on X, writing: “Heartbroken to hear of the loss of my friend Brett James tonight. 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.”
Carrie Underwood recalled that James had once insisted she receive full songwriting credit for a song, even though she admitted he had written 75 percent of it.
In 2020, James released his own album, explaining his creative approach: “At my stage in life, I’m not going to write about driving around in pickup trucks, chasing girls. 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.”
James also had four children with his first wife, Sandra Cornelius-Little.
Authorities from the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will continue investigating the crash.
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