FRANKLIN, North Carolina — Brett James, who wrote hit songs for stars such as Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood, died in a plane crash Thursday in North Carolina, reports say.

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame confirmed James’ death in a post on social media . He was 57 years old.

According to the website savingcountrymusic.com , the Cirrus SR22T crashed at about 3 p.m. near an airport in Macon County, N.C. Two other people on the plane, which was registered to James, also died.

The plane had taken off from an airport in Nashville, reports say. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

James was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 after writing hits such as “Jesus Take the Wheel” for Underwood, which won a Gramm

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