The country music world is reeling after the sudden death of Grammy Award-winning songwriter Brett James, who was killed in a plane crash alongside his wife and her daughter in North Carolina.
James, 57, was flying aboard his private Cirrus SR22T jet Thursday afternoon when it went down in a field in Franklin, North Carolina. On board with him were his wife, Melody Wilson, 59, and her daughter, Meryl Maxwell Wilson, 28. All three were killed in the crash.
Brett James with his wife Melody.
The heartbreak is made even sharper by the timing, as Meryl had just celebrated her 28th birthday the day before. Her mother’s final words to her, posted on social media, were filled with love: “Happy Birthday my Love!! How Blessed am I to be your Momma! You’re the MOST BEAUTIFUL AMAZING HUMAN inside and out!”
A love story cut short
Melody and Brett had been living together in Nashville since at least 2020. They tied the knot on August 21, which Melody shared in a New Year’s Day 2022 post.
Melody’s daughter Meryl.
Sharing a joyful wedding photo, Melody wrote at the time: “What an awesome year! August 21st Brett and I got married. Lucky me.”
Their love story, which had played out openly online in photos of blended family moments and heartfelt captions, has now ended in unspeakable tragedy.
A legacy of music
Beyond his personal life, Brett James leaves behind an indelible mark on country music. Known for penning hits for Taylor Swift, Dierks Bentley, and other stars, he was perhaps most celebrated for co-writing Carrie Underwood’s iconic ballad “Jesus, Take the Wheel.”
Remains of the plane.
Over his career, James released five singles that reached Billboard’s country chart over an eight-year period, but it was his songwriting that cemented his legacy, earning him both awards and the respect of Nashville’s biggest stars.
James is survived by his four grown children from his previous marriage to Sandra Cornelius-Little.
Mourning a loss
For family, friends, and fans, the tragedy is twofold — the sudden loss of a beloved songwriter and the devastating deaths of Melody and her daughter. What was meant to be a birthday week of celebration has instead become a moment of mourning across both Nashville and North Carolina.
