Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James was killed Thursday when a Cirrus SR22T crashed in Franklin, North Carolina, according to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was 57. The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft, registered under James’ legal name Brett Cornelius, went down in a field near Iotla Valley Elementary School about 3 p.m. after departing from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville. All three occupants died in the crash, the FAA confirmed. All individuals at the school were safe and uninjured.

James had a wide catalog of more than 500 songwriting credits, including Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and Kenny Chesney’s “Out Last Night,” and work with other artists like Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi and Keith Urban. He was elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hal

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