Carrie Underwood Mourns The Loss Of ‘Jesus, Take The Wheel’ Songwriter, Brett James

Carrie Underwood is mourning the loss of Brett James, the celebrated songwriter behind her hit “Jesus, Take The Wheel.”

In an emotional new statement, the songstress shares her sadness following the news that broke Thursday, September 18, revealing that the 57-year-old GRAMMY-winning songwriter was one of three people who died in a small plane crash.

“Some things are just unfathomable. The loss of Brett James to his family, friends and our music community is too great to put into words,” her message began.

Alongside the kind words was a slideshow of photos that found Underwood and James posing in the studio and at various events. She went on to gush over her fellow songwriter, noting that he was “the epitome of ‘cool.’”

“I see him in my mind riding up to my cabins to write on his motorcycle…his hair somehow perfectly coiffed despite being under a helmet for however long. I always loved hearing him sing ‘Cowboy Casanova’ because a sassy girl anthem should’ve sounded ridiculous coming from a macho dude like him, but somehow, he even made that cool.”

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“He was a good guy,” she continued. “I remember writing with him on a song that he basically wrote 75% of and had ready when he walked in the room. We filled in the blanks and added a little melody and I told him after that I didn’t feel right splitting the credit evenly when he did most of the work. He wouldn’t have it. He insisted that everything be equal. He was just that kind of guy…”

Beyond the music, Underwood reveals that the two of them connected through their dedication to their faith.

“Brett loved the Lord. Which is the only comfort we can hold on to now. We even had the pleasure of singing together at church. My favorite songs to sing of ours are the ones that he or we wrote about Jesus because the thoughts and feelings behind them are so genuine and pure. I won’t ever sing one note of them again without thinking of him.”

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member is responsible for penning hundreds of hit country songs, including Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take The Wheel” and “Cowboy Casanova.” To this day, “Jesus Take The Wheel” remains one of Carrie Underwoods most beloved hits. It went on to win multiple major awards including a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and an ACM award for Single Record of the Year. 

James’ success didn’t stop at Carrie Underwood. He is also responsible for writing hits for plenty other country acts such as Kenny Chesney (“When The Sun Goes Down”, “Out Last Night,” “Keg In the Closet”), Dierks Bentley (“I Hold On”), Jason Aldean (“The Truth”), and Rascal Flatts (“Summer Nights”).   

Brett James’ incredible contributions to the country music industry will never be forgotten, allowing his legacy to live on through his passion for music.