Who was Brett James? The country singer who passed away in a fatal plane crash

Brett James, the American Country music singer, reportedly passed away at the age of 57 on September 18, 2025, after his plane crashed in a tragic accident. The incident occurred after Cirrus SR22T left Nashville, Tennessee, and crashed into North Carolina’s Iotla Valley Elementary School. As the news hit the screens, many fans paid their tribute on social media, offering their condolences.

Who was Brett James?

Born on June 5, 1968, Brett James (Brett James Cornelius) was born to Dr. Sam Cornelius and Carolyn Cornelius. He completed his education in 1986 at Christian Heritage Academy High School in Oklahoma, and went on to complete his higher studies. The late singer earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991 from Baylor University and joined a medical college, the University of Oklahoma, in the early 1990s. However, he followed his passion and dropped out of medical school to achieve success in music, according to Moneycontrol.

Brett James and his music career

James joined Career Records as a recording artist in 1995 and later released a self-titled album in the same year. The hit singles that didn’t hesitate to rise to the top of the charts were ‘Female Bonding,’ ‘If I Could See Love,’ and ‘Worth the Fall.’ However, he didn’t see much success afterwards, forcing him to join the medical college again. While attending the school, he managed to write 33 songs, which were recorded by artists in nine months. He received his first Grammy for co-writing Carrie Underwood’s hit ‘Jesus, Take the Wheel’ in 2007.

Over the years, his talent was recognized by many artists, and the big names in the music industry also collaborated with Brett James, including Billy Ray Cyrus, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, and Martina McBride. Brett was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020.

Brett James is survived by his wife, Sandra Cornelius, and their children.