Songwriter Brett James, who is credited with writing or co-writing hundreds of songs — including Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” — was one of three people killed in a small plane crash in North Carolina, according to multiple people close to him.
A Cirrus SR22T crashed in a field in Franklin around 3 p.m. on Thursday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The field was adjacent to the Macon County Airport, the National Transportation Safety Board said.
Two women — Melody Carole and Meryl Maxwell Wilson, both from Tennessee — were also killed in the crash, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
Nobody else was on board, officials said.
The crash happened on a property neighboring the Iotla Valley Elementary School, but students and staff at the school were all reported safe, the Macon County Sheriff’s Office said.
Officials said they are still trying to figure out what caused the plane crash, with the NTSB leading the investigation.
On Friday, an NTSB investigator was documenting the scene and examining the aircraft, which is expected to be removed by Saturday and taken to a facility for further evaluation, the agency said.
James — who was born in Columbia, Missouri — has written songs for many artists, including Martina McBride, Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean.
For more than 20 years, James, 57, was known primarily as a songwriter for other country and pop music artists, including Carrie Underwood, whose hit song, “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” won Grammy Awards for best country song and best female country vocal performance.
He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020.
“We are devastated by the loss of our longtime friend, Brett James,” Songwriter City founder and CEO Mike Severson said in a statement. “For more than 30 years, we had the privilege of knowing Brett not only as one of the most accomplished songwriters of our time, but as a kind, genuine, and joyful human being.”
