Grammy-winning lyricist Brett James, renowned for writing the hit 'Jesus, Take the Wheel,' passes away in an aviation accident.
Brett James, a renowned songwriter known for hits like Carrie Underwood's "Jesus, Take the Wheel," tragically passed away in a plane crash on Thursday. The small aircraft took off from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville before crashing in Franklin, North Carolina.
The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the cause of the crash, but preliminary reports suggest that all three people on board - the pilot and two passengers - died in the incident.
James' songwriting career took an improbable turn from medical school. He did not pick up a guitar until he was already on a pre-med track at Baylor University. His talent was recognised early on, and he received a recording contract from Arista Records while in his first year of medical school at the University of Oklahoma.
James' more than 500 songs have appeared on albums with combined sales of over 110 million copies. He was a trusted collaborator to country's greatest names, working with megastars including Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, and Keith Urban.
One of his most notable collaborations was with Carrie Underwood. "Jesus, Take the Wheel," a song James cowrote, was attached to Underwood's debut album and became her first number one country single. The song earned Grammys for both Underwood and the songwriters.
James' contributions to the music industry were recognised when he was elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020. He also cowrote Kenny Chesney's "Out Last Night."
Country musician Dierks Bentley wrote about James' death on Instagram, expressing his condolences and remembering James as a "brilliant songwriter and a great friend." The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers also announced James' death on their Instagram account, praising him as a "prolific songwriter who touched the hearts of millions."
Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts produced Nashville for Chicago's 30th studio album, where James cowrote two songs. Brett James, a fellow aviator, also cowrote "Jesus, Take the Wheel" with an unspecified co-writer and produced the song, but the search results do not provide the co-writer's name or the producer.
Brett James' passing is a significant loss to the music industry. His talent and contributions will be remembered for years to come.
