Grammy Award–winning songwriter Brett James, known for Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel”, died in a plane crash in North Carolina along with his wife and stepdaughter.
Tragic Accident Claims Three Lives
Songwriter Brett James Cornelius, 57, his wife Melody Carole Wilson, and stepdaughter Meryl Maxwell Wilson were killed when their Cirrus SR22T aircraft crashed near Macon County Airport in Franklin, North Carolina, on September 18, 2025.
The plane had departed from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville before it went down in a field near Iotla Valley Elementary School. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation.
Career Highlights and Legacy
Brett James left medical school to chase his music dreams in Nashville. Over his career, he wrote or co-wrote more than 500 songs, recorded by top artists across country and pop music. His works have sold over 110 million albums worldwide.
Among his most famous compositions was “Jesus, Take the Wheel”, performed by Carrie Underwood, which won the Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 2006. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020.
Tributes From the Music World
Carrie Underwood and fellow artists expressed heartbreak at the loss. Underwood shared a moving tribute, calling James both a creative genius and a man of faith. Colleagues praised his ability to shape modern country music and his lasting influence on new generations of songwriters.
