Brett James was a Grammy-winning American country music songwriter, singer, and producer based in Nashville. He penned hits for artists like Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, and Jason Aldean, most famously co-writing “Jesus, Take the Wheel”. Over his career, James had more than 500 songs recorded, with dozens of chart-topping singles.
He died in a plane crash on September 18, 2025, near Franklin, North Carolina, at the age of 57. Two others, his wife Melody Carole Wilson and her daughter Meryl Maxwell Wilson, were also killed in the accident. The crash involved a Cirrus SR22T aircraft registered to James.
| Full Name | Brett James Cornelius |
| Birth Date | June 5, 1968 |
| Birth Place | Columbia, Missouri |
| Death Date | September 18, 2025 |
| Death Place | Franklin, North Carolina |
| Parents | Dr. Sam Cornelius (father), Carolyn (mother) |
| Early Life/Upbringing | Grew up in Oklahoma City and Cordell, Oklahoma; graduated Christian Heritage Academy |
| Education | Baylor University, B.S. 1991; partial medical school, University of Oklahoma |
| Spouse/Partner | Melody Carole Wilson (deceased, killed in plane crash with Brett) |
| Children | Stepdaughter: Meryl Maxwell Wilson (deceased, killed in plane crash) |
| Physical Stats | Not widely published; described as fit, rode motorcycles |
| Career Start | 1995 (first solo album), songwriting from late 1990s |
| Genre | Country, pop, gospel |
| Famous Songs | “Jesus, Take the Wheel” (Carrie Underwood), “Who I Am” (Jessica Andrews), “Cowboy Casanova” (Carrie Underwood), “Out Last Night” (Kenny Chesney), “Summer Nights” (Rascal Flatts), “When the Sun Goes Down” (Kenny Chesney), “I Hold On” (Dierks Bentley), “Blessed” (Martina McBride) |
| Career Achievements | Grammy Award, Best Country Song (“Jesus, Take the Wheel”); Inducted Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (2020); ASCAP Songwriter of the Year (2006, 2010); Over 500 songs recorded; 27 No. 1 singles |
| Net Worth | Estimated $12 million in 2025 |
Lesser Known Facts about Brett James
- He originally attended medical school and was on track to becoming a physician but left after a “birthday epiphany” and the encouragement of the medical school dean to pursue his music dreams full-time.
- Brett James was signed to Arista Records after just three days in Nashville—a rare industry story—with Tim DuBois offering him a contract based on faith in his raw potential.
- Despite initial struggles and “failing miserably as a recording artist,” he found immense success writing for others, noting, “I think my kids have never heard my voice as an artist” and later released a solo EP just so “they could hear me sing for me”.
- James described Nashville as “the songwriting capital of the universe,” championing the city’s tight-knit songwriter community and “artistic colony”—he believed writers are the true backbone of music stardom.
- He co-wrote pop hits like Kelly Clarkson’s “Mr. Know It All” and Daughtry’s “Life After You,” showing his versatility beyond the country genre .
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, Brett James adapted by writing songs remotely online, describing it as “making the best of a difficult situation with technology” .
- At one point, James’s most ambitious dream was to have 10 versions of his songs performed in a year—in reality, there were years with 30 releases.
- Despite critical acclaim and Grammy awards, James said the relationships and creative conversations he formed in Nashville mattered to him as much as commercial success.
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