Songwriter Brett James Was Among Those Involved in a Plane Crash in North Carolina

Songwriter Brett James is reportedly dead following a plane crash in North Carolina. James, a songwriter with hundreds of credits to his name, might have been best known for co-writing "Jesus, Take the Wheel" for Carrie Underwood.

Following the news of his death, many want to better understand what happened to him, as well as what other songs he might be known for writing. Here's what we know.

While no exact cause of death has been reported, ABC News is reporting that James was one of three people who died when a Cirrus SR22T crashed in a field in Fairfield, N.C. Nobody who was on board survived, although the Federal Aviation Administration has not confirmed that James was on board. Instead, several people close to him have reported that he is believed to be among the victims.

The crash reportedly happened near the Iotla Valley Elementary School, but all students and staff at the school have been reported safe.

“The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate,” the FAA said. “The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide further updates.”

We don't know what might have caused the crash, but there will be a formal investigation to determine what went wrong. It's also unclear who else was on board.

James, who was 57 at the time of his death, had been a songwriter for other artists for more than 20 years. He was best known in the world of country music, and in addition to writing for Carrie Underwood, he's also written songs for Jason Aldean, Martina McBride, and Kenny Chesney.

"Jesus, Take the Wheel" might have been his biggest success, though, and it eventually went on to win Grammy Awards for Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

Following the news of his death, the artists that James worked with spoke out about his passing.

"Heartbroken to hear of the loss of my friend Brett James tonight. I had nothing but love and respect for that guy and he helped change my life. Honored to have met him and worked with him. Thoughts and prayers going out to his family," Jason Aldean wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

The American Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers also weighed in, writing, "We’re mourning the loss of Brett James, co-writer of 'Jesus, Take the Wheel' and 'When the Sun Goes Down' and a two-time ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year. Brett was a trusted collaborator to country’s greatest names and a true advocate for songwriters. We miss him dearly."

James might have never been a major star himself, but he was an irrevocable part of many other people's rises to prominence. Given the hundreds of songs he worked on over the course of his career, it's fair to say that his work will live on through the various artists who will continue to perform his work.