The Brief

Brett James, the Grammy-winning songwriter best known for writing hit songs like Carrie Underwood’s "Jesus, Take the Wheel," has died. He was 57.

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame announced his death in a Facebook post, confirming that he was killed in a plane crash on Thursday.

James and two other people were killed when a small plane crash occurred near Iotla Valley Elementary School in North Carolina. The identities of the other two victims have not been released, according to WSMV-TV in North Carolina.

WRDW-TV in North Carolina, citing FlightAware data, reported that a Cirrus SR22T plane took off from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville before it crashed in North Carolina.

The National Transport Safety Board is currently investigating the crash.

W

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