Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James died in a plane crash in North Carolina on September 18, 2025, at the age of 57.
James, known for co-writing Carrie Underwood’s hit song “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” was one of three people killed in the crash.
The small private plane crashed near Macon County Airport in Franklin, and the FAA confirmed the aircraft was registered to Brett Cornelius, James’s legal name.
James was a celebrated songwriter in both Christian and country music, having written over 300 major-label songs.
His work includes hits like “When the Sun Goes Down” and “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” which won a Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 2006.
He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 and was named ASCAP’s Country Songwriter of the Year twice.
The plane crash, which occurred on Thursday afternoon, claimed the lives of James and two other passengers, identified as Melody Carole and Meryl Maxwell Wilson.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident.