It’s a sad day for the music world with the confirmation a well-known songwriter has died.
Brett James wrote music for numerous big names in the industry, including Taylor Swift. He co-wrote the song A Perfectly Good Heart for her debut album. The songwriter was on a plane with his girlfriend, Melody Wilson, and their daughter, Meryl Maxwell Wilson earlier this week. The plane crashed in a field in North Carolina on Thursday, and none of them survived. During his life, Brett wrote over 20 hits that reached Number One.
He had a prior marriage to Sandra Cornelius. He’d been dating Melody for several years and the two were living together in a $2 million home in Nashville.
Brett James, his girlfriend Melody Wilson, and their daughter Meryl Maxwell Wilson died in the plane crash
Understandably, there’s been a lot of sadness around this news. To add to the heartbreak, Melody had wished her daughter a happy birthday the day before they died.
“You’re the MOST BEAUTIFUL AMAZING HUMAN inside and out! I’m humbled and grateful everyday for your shining presence in my life!” wrote Melody. Their daughter was 28.
Circumstances behind the crash are under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. Brett’s song Jesus Take the Wheel performed by Carrie Underwood earning her a Grammy. He became a renowned songwriter for his work with the American Idol champion. His net worth was approximately $17 million this year.
While many of his big hits were country tunes, Brett also collaborated with artists such as Bon Jovi, the Backstreet Boys, and Nick Jonas. In 2020, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Brett was 57 and Melody 59 at the time of their deaths.
The crash, which took their lives, occured at the Valley Elementary School in Fraklin at around 3 pm with no students or staff suffering injuries.
Brett leaves behind four children from his first marriage, three sons and a daughter.
TELL US – WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG BY BRETT JAMES?
