Brett James, 57, a Nashville-based songwriter who has written for icons including Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift, was killed Thursday when his Cirrus SR22T crashed west of Iotla Valley Elementary School in Franklin, North Carolina. James and two others were pronounced dead at the scene.
The aircraft departed Nashville, Tennessee, around 12:41 p.m. local time before going down in a rural area west of the school. The Macon County Sheriff's Office said there were no injuries on the ground as students and staff at the nearby elementary school were kept safe. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.
James's career included writing hit songs for a range of country stars. Notably, he co-wrote Carrie Underwood's Jesus, Take The Wheel and Jason Aldean's The Truth. He also worked with Taylor Swift during her rise to fame, contributing to projects that helped launch her ascent in the country music scene.
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame announced James's death on Thursday, noting that he was inducted in 2020 in recognition of his contributions to the craft. The crash remains under investigation by federal authorities, who will review flight data and wreckage to determine what happened as investigators gather more information.