NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James was killed in a plane crash in North Carolina on Thursday, authorities confirmed. The 57-year-old musician was among three people aboard a Cirrus SR22T that departed from Nashville's John C. Tune Airport before it crashed into an open field near Iotla Valley Elementary School in Franklin, killing all aboard.
The crash occurred in an open field adjacent to Iotla Valley Elementary School, which sits near Macon County Airport and is surrounded by fields, according to local reports. No students or staff at the school were injured. The flight was operated from Nashville and went down while en route to an unspecified destination, authorities said. The site of the crash prompted a response from local emergency personnel and prompted school officials to implement standard emergency procedures in coordination with law enforcement nearby.
James was a prolific songwriter whose catalog includes 27 number-one hits on country radio. He wrote Brantley Gilbert’s “Bottoms Up,” Rascal Flatts’ “Summer Nights,” and songs for Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, and Tim McGraw, among others. He is best known for Carrie Underwood’s hit “Jesus Take the Wheel,” which won the Grammy for Best Country Song at the 2007 ceremony and was nominated for Song of the Year. James was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 and continued to mentor younger writers while contributing to major acts across country and rock.
Dierks Bentley, who co-wrote Bentley’s 2013 hit “I Hold On” with James, paid tribute after learning of his death. Bentley described James as “a total legend” and said the songwriter helped refine the chorus and overall concept of the song in the aftermath of a personal loss. Bentley noted that James’s talent and collaboration left a lasting impact on his career and on the broader Nashville songwriting community. “Rest in peace, pal,” Bentley added in a brief message, reflecting the close friendship and creative bond they shared.
James’s work spanned multiple generations of country music, and his influence extended beyond his own performances to shape the sound of contemporary Nashville songwriting. In addition to his Grammys and Hall of Fame induction, colleagues said his approach to melody and lyric, as well as his willingness to help others in the room, left an enduring mark on the genre. Investigators with local authorities and aviation officials continued to examine the crash site, and officials said additional details would be released as they become available. The incident has stunned a wide circle of fans, fellow writers, and performers who saw James as a driving force behind some of the era’s most enduring country hits.
For now, the country music community is mourning a writer whose work helped define a decade and who remained an active voice and mentor within the industry. As responders continue to clear the scene and investigators review flight data and witnesses, the broader public will remember James for a catalog of songs that became staples on country radio and a career that bridged Nashville’s publishing houses and stages around the world.
