Brett James, born Brett James Cornelius on June 5, 1968, in Columbia, Missouri, was a Grammy Award-winning American songwriter, producer, and music executive whose career was marked by remarkable commercial and critical success in country and popular music[6][7]. After initially pursuing a pre-medical degree at Baylor University, he abandoned medical school to chase a music career, moving to Nashville with nothing more than a guitar, a four-track recorder, and a bag of clothes[4][5]. Over a career spanning more than two decades, James wrote or co-wrote over 800 songs, with more than 500 recorded by artists across multiple genres and albums selling over 110 million copies worldwide[1][4]. His catalog includes 25 to 27 number-one singles, among them Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” (which earned him the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Country Song), Kenny Chesney’s “When the Sun Goes Down,” and Jessica Andrews’ “Who I Am”[1][4][5]. He was recognized as ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year in 2006 and 2010 and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020[1][6]. James’s songs have been recorded by a diverse array of artists, including Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Bon Jovi, Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Meghan Trainor, Nick Jonas, Miranda Lambert, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Leona Lewis, Daughtry, The Fray, Florida Georgia Line, Backstreet Boys, Chicago, and Will.i.am[1][4]. As a producer, he worked with Taylor Swift, Jessica Simpson, Danielle Bradbery, and Kip Moore, and he also released his own music, including the 2020 album I Am Now[1][6]. Beyond his creative work, James was a business leader, owning Cornman Music and Believer Artist Management, and he held leadership roles with the CMA Board of Directors, the Recording Academy, and the Nashville Songwriters Association International[1]. Tragically, Brett James died on September 18, 2025, in a small plane crash near Franklin, North Carolina, along with two others[5]. He was 57. His death was widely mourned in the music community, and he is remembered as one of Nashville’s most prolific and versatile songwriters, whose work continues to resonate across genres and generations[5].