NEED TO KNOW
- Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Brett James has reportedly died in a plane crash
- Multiple news outlets and music associations reported that the 57-year-old husband and father was on a small plane that went down in North Carolina
- No survivors were reported, according to local reports
Nashville singer-songwriter Brett James reportedly died in a North Carolina plane crash. He was 57.
The Grammy-winning musician was one of three people onboard a plane that went down west of North Carolina’s Iotla Valley Elementary School on Thursday, Sept. 18, FOX 17 and WTVF-TV report. There were no survivors in the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement.
“A Cirrus SR22T crashed in a field in Franklin, North Carolina, around 3 p.m. local time on Thursday, Sept. 18. Three people were on board,” the FAA said, adding that it will investigate the incident with the National Transportation Safety Board.
PEOPLE did not immediately receive a response for comment from the Macon County Sheriff’s Office.
In a post shared to Facebook, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame remembered the “Jesus Take The Wheel” songwriter who was a 2020 inductee.
Flight records showed Brett Cornelius owned a plane that departed from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville before the crash. James’ fill name was Brett James Cornelius.
The two-time Country Songwriter of the Year recipient’s death was also announced by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).
“Brett was a trusted collaborator to country’s greatest names, and a true advocate for his fellow songwriters. Brett, your ASCAP family misses you dearly. Thank you for your unforgettable music,” the association said of the “Wen The Sun Goes Down” musician in an Instagram post.
Earlier in the day, the Macon County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that a plane crash happened near the elementary school.
“To the parents that have children that attend Iotla school. The students, and staff are safe. There was an airplane accident on the neighboring property. Again all students and staff are safe,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement to its Facebook account.
James was born on June 5, 1968, in Columbia, Mo. Although he initially set out to study medicine, he left college to pursue a career in music, Country Now reported. He was signed under Arista Nashville’s Career Records as a solo artist, releasing his debut album in 1995.
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Other artists he wrote songs for include Carrie Underwood (“Jesus, Take The Wheel,” “Cowboy Casanova”), Kenny Chesney (“When The Sun Goes Down,” “Out Last Night,” “Keg In the Closet”), Dierks Bentley (“I Hold On”), Jason Aldean (“The Truth”), and Rascal Flatts (“Summer Nights”).
“When I sing that song live, I’m always thinking of my dad, but I also think about that day we wrote it,” Bentley wrote on Instagram. “He just got it, just lit into it. It was one of the first times we wrote and I decided to drop the most meaningful and necessary idea of a song I had on him, because I felt like God was telling me to do so. Our friendship and that song changed my life. 💔 Prayers for his family.”
One of his last posts on social media was a group photo of loved ones smiling as they were gathered on a backyard deck.
“Such an amazing Father’s Day!!” James captioned the June 16 post. He is survived by his wife Sandra Cornelius, and their children.
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