Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James, best known for co-writing “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” has died in a plane crash in North Carolina. He was 57.
James was one of three people killed when a small private plane crashed near Macon County Airport in Franklin on the afternoon of September 18. The FAA confirmed the aircraft was registered to Brett Cornelius of Brentwood, Tennessee — James’s legal name.
Celebrated for his contributions to Christian and country music, James rose to prominence with Carrie Underwood’s 2005 hit “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” a faith-filled ballad that won a Grammy Award for Best Country Song and became a spiritual anthem for millions.
A graduate of Christian Heritage Academy in Oklahoma, James often integrated Christian themes into his songwriting.
His early recordings included hymns such as “What Child Is This?” and “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”
Over his career, James wrote more than 300 major-label songs and received multiple industry honors, including induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 and being named ASCAP’s Country Songwriter of the Year twice.