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Country superstar Kenny Chesney<\/a><\/strong> has broken his silence following the tragic death of Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James<\/strong>, who was killed in a small plane crash on September 19<\/a> alongside his wife and stepdaughter.<\/p>\n On Sept. 22, Chesney posted a moving Instagram tribute<\/a> filled with photos of his longtime friend and collaborator, calling James his \u201cBrother Of The Sun.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t wanted to post cause I didn\u2019t want to believe it,\u201d Chesney wrote. \u201cBrett and I shared a unique bond. A Brotherhood. A kinship. We wrote \u2018Reality\u2019 and \u2018Out Last Night\u2019 on the same afternoon, sitting on my pool deck in the Virgin Islands two days after Christmas.<\/p>\n We had a lot of authentic life fun writing songs together over the years and I\u2019m sure going to miss it. It\u2019s hard to process his creative soul being gone. This kind of loss. I feel as if part of my creative soul went with him.\u201d<\/p>\n RELATED: \u2018American Pickers\u2019 Mike Wolfe Comforts Tim McGraw After Friend\u2019s Death<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Chesney added that James\u2019 presence is deeply woven into his live shows.<\/p>\n \u201cHalf the songs in my shows are songs he wrote or songs we wrote together. So it\u2019s impossible for me to do shows moving forward and not think about him. I can\u2019t believe I\u2019m 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!\u201d<\/p>\n The post closed with lyrics from James\u2019 song \u201cKnowing You\u201d:<\/p>\n God, we were so alive RELATED: Timeless Dolly Parton Duet Returns to The Top 10 \u2014 And It\u2019s Not the One You Think<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Chesney\u2019s heartfelt message quickly drew thousands of responses from fans who wanted to send love, prayers and memories in the wake of Brett James\u2019 passing.<\/p>\n One fan called the tribute \u201cWhat a story. God bless Kenny and Brett James.\u201d Another added, \u201cForever on our minds and words on our heart through the music he made. Condolences to his entire family and music family.\u201d<\/p>\n Several others reflected on the deep loss Chesney must be feeling. \u201cNever easy to lose someone close to you \u2026 thankful you had the gift of sharing life with him,\u201d one commenter wrote. Another admitted that when the tragic news broke, their first thought was of Chesney: \u201cYou were the first one I thought of when I heard this news. I\u2019m so sorry for your loss. \u2018Out Last Night\u2019 is one of my favorite songs.\u201d<\/p>\n Many fans kept their comments short but heartfelt, with messages like \u201cSo sorry you lost a brother. \ud83d\udc99\u201d and \u201cMay his memory be eternal.\u201d<\/p>\n James wrote songs for Taylor Swift<\/a><\/strong>, Carrie Underwood<\/a><\/strong>, Tim McGraw<\/a>, Martina McBride,\u00a0Jason Aldean<\/a>, Dierks Bentley,\u00a0Faith Hill<\/a>,\u00a0Rascal Flatts<\/a>, Miranda Lambert,\u00a0Wynonna Judd<\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Little Big Town<\/strong>, among many others. He and Chesney wrote over a dozen songs together.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfac\u00a0<\/strong>SIGN UP for Parade\u2019s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\ud83c\udfac<\/strong><\/p>\n This story was originally reported by Parade<\/a> on Sep 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the Entertainment<\/a> section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
I was a kid on a carnival ride
Holding my breath til the moment you were gonna leave me too soon
But I\u2019d do it all over, cause damn it was good Knowing You.<\/em><\/p>\nFans Flood Kenny\u2019s Post With Support<\/h2>\n