Grammy-Winning Songwriter Brett James, Who Worked with Carrie Underwood, Dies at 57

A 2020 Hall of Fame inductee, the songwriter was one of three killed in a small-engine crash near a North Carolina school. He co-wrote "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and won a Grammy for Best Country Song. On September 19, 2025, The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame announced the death of Grammy-award winning songwriter, Brett James, via Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/DOxAhqSjVVj/?igsh=bnBtZmRvbmozaW5o&mWidth=350&mHeight=582&dWidth=600&dHeight=841"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," the post read. The crash occurred in North Carolina, and the Hall of Fame confirmed James was among the victims. Flight data shows the single-