Grammy Award-Winning Songwriter Brett James Dies in North Carolina Plane Crash

Brett James, a Grammy-winning songwriter whose work shaped the sound of modern country music, died Thursday when a small plane crashed in North Carolina, authorities said.

Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James, best known for co-writing Carrie Underwood's hit "Jesus, Take the Wheel," was killed in a plane crash in North Carolina on Thursday, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame confirmed. He was 57.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a plane registered under James' legal name, Brett Cornelius, went down in a field in Franklin, North Carolina, at about 3 p.m. local time on September 18, 2025. Franklin is located roughly 270 miles southeast of Nashville.

The FAA reported that all three people on board, the pilot and two passengers, were killed. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash.

Flight data from FlightAware shows that the small aircraft departed earlier in the day from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville. The crash occurred near Iotla Valley Elementary School, where students were still inside preparing for dismissal, district spokesperson Renee Burt told CNN.

James built a celebrated career in Nashville, writing for artists such as Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Keith Urban, and Kenny Chesney. He co-wrote Chesney's "Out Last Night" and became one of the industry's most in-demand collaborators.

The Nashville Songwriters Association International notes that more than 500 of James' songs have appeared on albums that collectively sold over 110 million copies.

In recognition of his influence, James was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020. He also founded the publishing company Cornman Music and held leadership roles with the Country Music Association, The Recording Academy, and the Nashville Symphony.