Brett Jamesthe Grammy winning songwriter known for Carrie Underwood2005 Smash “Jesus, Take The Wheel” and Kenny Chesney’s “When The Sun goes down”, died Thursday in a small engine flight crash in North Carolina. He was 57.
James was one of three people aboard a Cirrus SR22T aircraft that crashed near Franklin, North Carolina. The National Transportation Safety Board told news places that it is said to investigate.
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame announced James death in a Facebook post on Friday.
Performing Rights organization ASCAP wrote in a tribute, “We mourn the loss of Brett James … A 2-o’clock ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year. Brett was a reliable partner to the country’s biggest name and a real advocate for songwriters. We miss him dearly.”
A native in Oklahoma City, James – real name: Brett Cornelius – left the medical school to conduct music in Nashville. He worked as an artist for several years before focusing on songwriting and was given early hits with Chesney, Billy Ray Cyrus and Martina McBride. 2001, “WHO I AM”, performed by Jessica Andrews, became his first country card.
In 2006, “Jesus Take the Wheel”, which he wrote with Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson, got Grammy for Best Country song, as well as 2005 Academy of Country Music Single of the Year and this year’s Ascap Country Song.
His other hits include Underwood’s “cowboy casanova”, chesney’s “out last night”, rodney atkins “it’s America”, raspt’s “Summer Nights”, Chris Young’s “The man I Want to Be” and Brantley Gilbert’s “The Oh,” he also made a lazy one a lazy Amor ”by Paulina.
