The country music world is mourning the loss of Brett James, the Grammy-winning songwriter who co-wrote Jesus, Take the Wheel for Carrie Underwood. He tragically died in a small plane crash on September 18, 2025, in North Carolina.
He was 57. Brett James was renowned for writing hits not only for Carrie Underwood but also for many others in both the country and pop music scenes. Besides Jesus, Take the Wheel, he co-wrote Cowboy Casanova, Something in the Water, among others, and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020.
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The aircraft was a Cirrus SR22T; the crash occurred in Macon County, near Franklin, North Carolina, at around 3 pm local time on September 18.
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On board with Brett were his wife, Melody Carole Wilson, and her daughter, Meryl Maxwell Wilson. Sadly, none survived.
Carrie Underwood posted a heartfelt message on Instagram after the tragedy. She described Brett James as “the epitome of cool,” recalling the image of him riding his motorcycle to her cabins for songwriting sessions, always looking composed—even with helmet hair.
She reminisced about their collaborations—how Brett had once walked in to a writing session with a song about 75% done already, yet insisted on sharing songwriting credits equally. That story underscored his integrity and humility in how he viewed collaboration.
Carrie also emphasized that she would never sing one note of their Christian faith-based songs without thinking of him—because his faith and the sincerity behind the lyrics were genuine, pure.
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Brett had written or co-written hundreds of songs recorded by a wide array of artists. His influence stretched far beyond one hit.
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He was honored by being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 and had been recognized multiple times by ASCAP as Songwriter of the Year.
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Many fellow musicians and collaborators have expressed deep grief. Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley, others have paid tribute, recalling his friendliness, faith, and musical excellence.
The passing of Brett James is a big loss—not simply for Carrie Underwood, but for the music community as a whole, especially for songwriters whose work often supports more visible performers. His songs touched many: faith, doubt, hope, love—they spoke to universal human experiences.
Jesus, Take the Wheel had long been a song about letting go, about trusting something greater when life spins out of control. The fact that its co-writer has died so suddenly gives the song an additional layer of poignancy—it becomes not just a spiritual anthem, but also a reminder of life’s fragility.
Carrie Underwood’s remarks about how every day is a gift, and how we should treasure genuine connections and small acts of kindness, strike a chord—especially now.
Brett James leaves behind a rich body of work and a legacy defined not just by commercial success, but by character—humility, faith, artistry. While his physical voice is gone, his songs will continue to be sung, heard, and cherished. For Carrie Underwood, for his family, friends, and for millions of fans, he will be remembered.