Grammy-Winning Songwriter Brett James and Family Perish in Fatal Plane Accident

The country music community is mourning the sudden loss of Brett James, the prolific songwriter who passed away at age 57 in a plane crash on September 18. Known for his extensive work with numerous artists, including Carrie Underwood, James won a Grammy in 2007 for penning Underwood’s iconic hit, “Jesus, Take the Wheel.”

Fatal Crash in North Carolina Claims Three Lives

James was one of three people aboard a small Cirrus SR22T aircraft that crashed in a field near Franklin, North Carolina, around 3 p.m. local time. Also on board were Melody Carole, James’s wife since 2021, and her daughter, Meryl Maxwell Wilson. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), alongside the National Transportation Safety Board, is currently investigating the accident.

In the days leading up to the tragedy, Carole shared heartfelt posts on Instagram, including a tribute to Robert Redford and a touching birthday message to her daughter. Wilson had recently turned 28 and celebrated a significant milestone of sobriety, posting about being “142 days sober” and “extremely happy to be here.”

The plane was registered under James’s legal name, Brett James Cornelius. It remains unclear whether he was piloting at the time of the crash. In 2020, James posted about flying himself and friends to a Jason Aldean concert.

James is survived by three sons and a daughter from a previous marriage.

Tributes from Nashville and Carrie Underwood

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame honored James in a heartfelt Facebook tribute, stating, “We mourn the untimely loss of Hall of Fame member Brett James (‘Jesus Take The Wheel’ / ‘When The Sun Goes Down’), a 2020 inductee who was killed in a small-engine airplane crash on Sept. 18. He was 57.”

Carrie Underwood paid her respects on Instagram, calling the loss “unfathomable.” She reflected on their shared history, writing:

“The loss of Brett James to his family, friends and our music community is too great to put into words.”

Underwood went on to describe James as “the epitome of ‘cool’” and “a good guy,” recalling their collaborations and times singing together at church.

“My favorite songs to sing of ours are the ones that he or we wrote about Jesus because the thoughts and feelings behind them are so genuine and pure,” she said. “I won’t ever sing one note of them again without thinking of him. Brett’s passing is leaving a hole in all of us that I fear won’t ever go away. It will forever be a reminder that this life is but a moment…we have to make the most of each day we’re given here on earth. Each day is a gift.”