Kenny Chesney Breaks Silence on ‘When the Sun Goes Down’ Songwriter Brett James’ Death

Kenny Chesney is remembering the life and legacy of famed songwriter and his dear friend, Brett James.

“A very difficult goodbye to my Brother Of The Sun Brett James,” Chesney, 57, wrote via Instagram on Monday, September 22. “I haven’t wanted to post ‘cause I didn’t want to believe it. Brett and I shared a unique bond. A Brotherhood. A kinship. We wrote ‘Reality’ and ‘Out Last Night’ on the same afternoon sitting on my pool deck in the Virgin Islands two days after Christmas.”

The country music star continued, “We had a lot of authentic life fun writing songs together over the years and I’m sure going to miss it. It’s hard to process his creative soul being gone. This kind of loss. I feel as if part of my creative soul went with him. It will be a void in my life and creativity forever. I’ve never known writing songs or being on the road without him.”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed on Friday, September 19, that James — along with his wife, Melody Carole, and stepdaughter Meryl Maxwell Wiilson — died when their single-engine Cirrus SR22T plane crashed into a field near Iotla Valley Elementary School in Franklin, North Carolina, on Thursday, September 18, according to The New York Times. He was 57 years old.

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The NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration’s investigation into the crash is ongoing and a preliminary report is expected within 30 days.

“Half the songs in my shows are songs he wrote or songs we wrote together,” Chesney continued on Monday. “So it’s impossible for me to do shows moving forward and not think about him.”

The pair had collaborated on a number of hit songs, including “Out Last Night,” “You See Me,” “Spirit of a Storm,” “When the Sun Goes Down” and “Wife and Kids.”

He added on Monday, “I can’t believe I’m saying it but adios Brett James. Thank you for being a lifer, for being a shirtless, sunburned troubadour, for your friendship, your songs and all the laughs. Save me a seat at the After Party.”

The musician then quoted one of his many calibrations with the late songwriter.

“God we were so alive. I was a kid on a carnival ride. Holding my breath til the moment you were gonna leave me too soon. But I’d do it all over cause damn it was good Knowing You,” he wrote.

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James’ stepdaughter, Meryl, had celebrated her 28th birthday on September 16, prior to her untimely death.

“28 years old. 142 days sober. Extremely happy to be here,” she wrote, in what turned out to be her last Instagram post. Her mother Melody’s penultimate Instagram post, meanwhile, was a loving tribute to her daughter on her last birthday.

“How Blessed am I to be your Momma,” Melody wrote on September 17. “You’re the MOST BEAUTIFUL AMAZING HUMAN inside and out! I’m humbled and grateful everyday for your shining presence in my life! God has already used you for his Kingdom in so many ways and so much more to come! No words can express what a gift you are to me and everyone that KNOWS YOU!”