Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James was killed Thursday when a Cirrus SR22T crashed in Franklin, North Carolina, according to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was 57. The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft, registered under James’ legal name Brett Cornelius, went down in a field near Iotla Valley Elementary School about 3 p.m. after departing from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville. All three occupants died in the crash, the FAA confirmed. All individuals at the school were safe and uninjured.
BREAKING NEWS: Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James, known for hits like “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” died in a North Carolina plane crash near an elementary school earlier today, along with two other passengers. https://t.co/ZsI8NuPx42 pic.twitter.com/etj5ll9oob
— FoxNashville (@FOXNashville) September 19, 2025
James had a wide catalog of more than 500 songwriting credits, including Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and Kenny Chesney’s “Out Last Night,” and work with other artists like Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi and Keith Urban. He was elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 and was on the boards of the Country Music Association and The Recording Academy.
“I am absolutely devastated at the loss of one of the best writers I’ve ever written with and recorded several of his songs, Brett James,” Sara Evans wrote in an Instagram post.
‘Jesus Take the Wheel’ Songwriter Brett James Killed in Plane Crash https://t.co/7PqHkR5BsP
— Variety (@Variety) September 19, 2025
The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating and will provide updates as they become available, the FAA said.
How do people die in a cirrus? All the safety features, parachute, auto land.
Yes! Fly the plane, fly the plane, think, think, think. Not enough training? Mentally impaired? This is worse than terrible.
Crash scene appeared to show a stall & flat spin: major components intact, no debris field/skid marks, and vertical stab bent to the side (due to spin).
This one did not have autoland but did have the parachute, but even it can’t help you if you stall spin from 100’. Sad