Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James has died in a plane crash in Franklin, North Carolina. He was 57.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Cirrus SR22T aircraft, registered to James, departed Nashville at 12:41 pm CST on Thursday before going down near Iotla Valley Elementary School around 3 pm local time.
Three people were on board, and no survivors were reported. The Macon County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that students and staff at the school were unharmed.
The Federal Aviation Administration stated, “A Cirrus SR22T crashed in a field in Franklin, North Carolina, around 3 pm local time on Thursday, September 18. Three people were on board. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide further updates.”
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame confirmed James’ death on Thursday night. Over his career, James had more than 800 songs recorded by artists including Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, and Carrie Underwood.
His most recognised hit, “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” performed by Underwood, won wide acclaim and industry awards.
James was twice named ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020.
Beyond songwriting, he worked as a producer, served on the boards of the Country Music Association and the Recording Academy, and founded publishing company Cornman Music.
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