Songwriter Brett James Died In A Plane Crash On September 18
The country music world is reeling after the tragic death of songwriter Brett James, who was killed in a plane crash on Thursday, September 18, at the age of 57.
A Songwriting Giant
James was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 and leaves behind a staggering legacy. His pen shaped dozens of country’s biggest hits, including:
Kenny Chesney’s “When The Sun Goes Down”
Dierks Bentley’s “I Hold On”
Jessica Andrews’ “Who I Am”
For Carrie Underwood, James was one of her most important collaborators. Together they created career-defining tracks like “Jesus, Take the Wheel” — which earned James a GRAMMY for Best Country Song — as well as “Something in the Water,” “Cowboy Casanova,” “Love Wins,” “Somethin’ Bad” (with Miranda Lambert), and more.
The Crash
According to WSMV, FlightAware data shows James’ Cirrus SR22T departed from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville at 12:41 p.m. local time before crashing around 3 p.m. near Iotla Valley Elementary School in Franklin, North Carolina, adjacent to the Macon County Airport.
The crash claimed the lives of all three passengers: Brett James, his wife Melody, and Melody’s daughter Meryl.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating. In a statement, the NTSB said:
“An NTSB investigator is on scene documenting the scene, examining the aircraft. The aircraft will then be removed and taken to a secure facility for further evaluation.”
Carrie Underwood’s Heartfelt Tribute
Carrie Underwood, who shared some of her greatest career moments with James’ words and melodies, posted an emotional message following the news:
“Some things are just unfathomable. The loss of Brett James to his family, friends and our music community is too great to put into words.”
Underwood shared photos of herself with James, reflecting on their years of friendship and creativity. She called him “the epitome of cool” and recalled how he somehow made even “Cowboy Casanova” sound effortless when he sang it.
She also emphasized his deep Christian faith:
“Brett loved the Lord, which is the only comfort we can hold on to now. We even had the pleasure of singing together at church. My favorite songs to sing of ours are the ones that he or we wrote about Jesus because the thoughts and feelings behind them are so genuine and pure. I won’t ever sing one note of them again without thinking of him.”
Carrie ended her message with a plea for prayers and a promise of reunion:
“Each day is a gift. Love you, man. I’ll see you again someday.”
A Legacy That Lives On
With more than 800 recorded cuts across genres and dozens of chart-topping singles, Brett James’ fingerprints are all over modern country music. His work brought comfort, joy, and faith to millions, and his influence will endure for decades.
May Brett, Melody, and Meryl rest in peace.