Grammy Winning Songwriter Brett James Dies in Plane Crash, Leaving Behind Wife & 4 Kids

Songwriter Brett James was a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

A Missouri native, he left medical school to launch a music career in Nashville, his Hall of Fame bio says. In 2006, "the chart-topping 'Jesus Take The Wheel' by Carrie Underwood earned the 2006 Grammy for Best Country Song," it adds.

Now, James has tragically died in a plane crash, according to NBC News. The plane went down in a field in North Carolina on the afternoon of September 18, 2025.

Brett James Was Married to Melody Carole Wilson Since 2021; He Died With His Wife & Stepdaughter in the Plane Crash

James died alongside Melody Wilson, 59, and her daughter, Meryl Maxwell Wilson, according to Daily Mail. According to Daily Mail, James and Wilson had been together "for several years" and lived in Nashville. Although Daily Mail referred to Melody as James' girlfriend, Taste of Country reported that she was his wife, as they married in 2021. Her Instagram page confirms this.

Melody confirmed they were married in an Instagram post in 2022, writing, "Happy New Year Y’all!! Here’s a few highlights from 2021. What an awesome year! August 21st Brett and I got married ❤️ Lucky me :)" The post included a wedding photo.

In 2020, James told Taste of Country of Melody: "She’s also a deep soul and a real musical human. She doesn’t make music, but she’s got amazing taste in music.” Melody, who goes by Melody Carole on Instagram, posted photos showing her with Brett James going back to 2018.

James also had an ex-wife named Sandra Cornelius, with whom he had four kids, according to Hello!, which noted that his real name was Brett James Cornelius. He was 57 years old. He had three sons and a daughter with his former wife.

Brett James Posted Photos With His Family & Wife Melody Carole on Instagram

James sometimes posted family photos on Instagram. "So much fun with my love in the Bahamas," he wrote with one photo.

"Love Colorado with my kids! These two and I summited 4 peaks over 14000 ft today ????," he wrote with another photo.

He posted a photo from his daughter's high school graduation in 2019.

Melody Carole was also active on Instagram. She most recently posted a tribute to the actor Robert Redford after his death.

A day before the plane crash, she posted a birthday tribute to her daughter.

"How Blessed am I to be your Momma!" she wrote. "You’re the MOST BEAUTIFUL AMAZING HUMAN inside and out! I’m humbled and grateful everyday for your shining presence in my life! God has already used you for His Kingdom in so many ways and so much more to come! No words can express what a gift you are to me and everyone that KNOWS YOU❤️????????????" The tribute included a collage of photos of the daughter.

He wrote a song called "True Believer" about a father-daughter relationship. "I sort of loved watching them all cry as they listened to the song. My daughter and I will always have that moment, and we will always have that song," he told American Songwriter.

Brett James, Melody Carole & Meryl Maxwell Wilson Crashed Into a Franklin, NC Field

Aviation authorities provided some details of the plane crash.

• "A Cirrus SR22T crashed in a field in Franklin, North Carolina, around 3 p.m. local time on Thursday, Sept. 18," according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration.
• "Three people were on board. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide further updates."

NBC News also confirmed that the other people who died in the crash were named Melody Carole and Meryl Maxwell Wilson.

Dierks Bentley paid tribute to James on Instagram, writing, "Rest in peace pal. Total stud. Fellow aviator. One of the best singer-songwriters in our town….total legend. I brought a couple of roughy sketched verse ideas of I Hold On to Brett after my dad died and he just did his thing."

His bio indicates that James wrote songs for some of the country's top artists.

"After several years as an Arista/Career recording artist, he continued writing for others, scoring early cuts by Billy Ray Cyrus, Kenny Chesney and Martina McBride," the bio says. "In 2001, 'Who I Am' by Jessica Andrews became Brett’s first #1 hit."

It adds, "Now with more than 300 major-label cuts, Brett’s catalogue includes hits such as 'When The Sun Goes Down' by Kenny Chesney & Uncle Kracker, 'Cowboy Casanova' by Carrie Underwood, 'It’s America' by Rodney Atkins, 'Out Last Night' by Kenny Chesney, 'Summer Nights' by Rascal Flatts, 'The Man I Want To Be' by Chris Young and 'Bottoms Up' by Brantley Gilbert. Brett also has a Top 5 Latin hit with 'The One You Love (Todo Mi Amor)' by Paulina Rubio."

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