Nashville-based singer-songwriter Brett James died Thursday along with two other people when the small aircraft they were traveling on crashed in North Carolina.
James, best known for helping pen the 2005 hit song “Jesus, Take The Wheel” for country music star Carrie Underwood, was identified as a victim of the crash late Thursday by the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was 57.
The aircraft involved in the crash, a Cirrus SR22T, was registered to James. It crashed in a field near the town of Franklin in western North Carolina around 3 p.m. EDT Thursday, according to the FAA. All three people on board were killed.
ABC News reported that the aircraft crashed on property adjacent to Iotla Valley Elementary School, but all students and staff were safe, and there were no injuries to anyone on the ground.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.
James, a Missouri native, had over 500 songwriting credits, mainly in the country genre. He wrote for numerous high-profile artists, including Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Martina McBride, Kenny Chesney, and Jason Aldean. Albums which his songs appeared on have combined sales of 110 million, according to Nashville Songwriters Association International.
