Grammy-winning composer Brett James perishes in airplane accident
Brett James, a renowned country songwriter, tragically passed away at the age of 57 in a plane crash that occurred in Franklin, North Carolina on September 18.
Born on June 5, 1968, in Columbia, Missouri, James began his musical journey with a desire to study medicine. However, he left medical school to pursue his passion for music. His career took off, and he soon became a prolific songwriter, penning hits for artists such as Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride, Dierks Bentley, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Billy Ray Cyrus, and many more.
One of his most notable works is the song "Jesus, Take The Wheel," which was recorded by Carrie Underwood in 2005. The song reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and brought James numerous accolades, including the ACM single of the year, the ASCAP country song of the year, and NSAI Song of the Year. In 2006, "Jesus, Take The Wheel" also earned James a Grammy Award for Best Country Song.
In 2001, James wrote the song "Who I Am" for Jessica Andrews, and in 2005, he delivered a Latin hit with "The One You Love (Todo Mi Amor)" by Paulina Rubio. Some of his other notable works include "Cowboy Casanova" by Carrie Underwood, "It's America" by Rodney Atkins, "When The Sun Goes Down" by Kenny Chesney & Uncle Kracker, "The Man I Want To Be" by Chris Young, "Bottoms Up" by Brantley Gilbert, "Out Last Night" by Kenny Chesney, and "Summer Nights" by Rascal Flatts.
James released his solo album through Career Records in 1995 and signed with Arista Nashville's imprint Career Records as a solo artist. In 2020, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, although the specific individual who inducted him was not specified in the available information.
Following his death, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame paid tribute to James. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reported the incident and will conduct an investigation with the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane involved in the crash was a Cirrus SR22T, registered to Brett Cornelius of Brentwood, Tennessee.
In 2020, James also released a self-written album, I Am Now. The news of his passing has left the music industry in mourning, and his contributions to country music will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come.
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