The music community is mourning a pivotal artist.

Brett James —a songwriter responsible for “Jesus, Take the Wheel”—has died in a plane crash in North Carolina on Sept. 18, authorities confirmed to NBC News . He was 57.

North Carolina State Highway Patrol reported to a crash site near the town of Franklin, the organization told NBC News, confirming three people died in the crash: James (full name Brett James Cornelius ), and two women named Melody Carole and Meryl Maxwell Wilson .

The Federal Aviation Association (FAA) confirmed it and the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) would be investigating the crash, which involved a Cirrus SR22T aircraft, in a statement shared with NBC News. The NTSB will be leading the investigation.

The plane took off from Nashville’s John C Tu

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