Country songwriter Brett James‘s wife Melody Carole and his stepdaughter Meryl Maxwell Wilson were both reportedly killed in the plane crash that took James’ life, according to The New York Times.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA ), James was one of three people aboard a plane that crashed near Franklin, North Carolina, on Thursday, Sept. 18. All three victims are reported to have died at the scene, and no one on the ground was injured.
The plane was registered to Brett Cornelius — James’s legal name — and had departed from Nashville, Tennessee. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash and the cause is currently unknown.
RELATED: Country Star Lauren Alaina Shares Emotional Tribute to Brett James: ‘Such a Light and Talent’
James wrote hundreds of songs for artists across genres, but was best known for collaborating with some of country music’s biggest stars. He is most famous for writing Carrie Underwood’s Grammy-winning ballad “Jesus, Take the Wheel.”
He was inducted into The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020, and the organization announced his death on Sept. 18, writing on Instagram:
“We mourn the untimely loss of Hall of Fame member Brett James (‘Jesus, Take The Wheel’ / ‘When The Sun Goes Down’), a 2020 inductee who was killed in a small-engine airplane crash on Sept. 18. He was 57.”
Following the news of his passing, country stars — including Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Lauren Alaina, and more — paid tribute to the legendary songwriter.
James survived by his ex-wife Sandra and their four children.
This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
