Carrie Underwood has paid tribute to her Jesus Take The Wheel co-writer Brett James.
Brett, 57, died alongside his wife Melody Wilson, 59, and stepdaughter Meryl Maxwell Wilson, 28 in a plane crash on Thursday (18.09.25) and Carrie – who worked with Brett on the Grammy-winning 2005 song – took to Instagram to share a touching tribute.
She wrote: “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.
“Brett 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.”
She also shared how generous Brett was as a collaborator, writing: “He was a good guy. I remember writing with him on a song that he basically wrote 75 per cent 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…
“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.
“Brett’s passing is leaving a hole in all of us that I fear won’t ever go away. It will forever be a reminder that this life is but a moment…we have to make the most of each day we’re given here on earth. Each day is a gift.
“I’m asking all of you to pray for his family, friends and all of us that were blessed enough to know Brett. Love you, man. I’ll see you again someday (sic).”
Brett also co-wrote Jason Aldean‘s The Truth, Rascal Flatts‘ Summer Nights and Kenny Chesney‘s When The Sun Goes Down amongst countless other country classics.
Brett and his family are believed to have been the only people on board the plane when it crashed in North Carolina.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement: “A Cirrus SR22T crashed in a field in Franklin, North Carolina, around 3 p.m. local time on Thursday, Sept. 18. Three people were on board.”