Songwriter Brett James has tragically passed away. The Grammy winner was killed in a plane crash on Thursday, September 18, along with two other passengers. Country music fans may not recognize James’ name, but they will know his music. It’s James who is the writer behind some of country music’s most successful songs. We found four of Brett James’ biggest hits as a songwriter.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Jesus, Take The Wheel” by Carrie Underwood
One of James’ early hits is “Jesus, Take The Wheel“, Carrie Underwood’s first single, and also her first No. 1 hit. James wrote the song with Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Samson, for Underwood’s debut Some Hearts album, released shortly after winning American Idol.
When the song was written, James admits he wasn’t immediately in love with the idea. But after trying unsuccessfully to write anything else, the three returned, penning “Jesus, Take The Wheel”.
“What’s crazy is how many people have that story of driving in a car and almost crashing, or feeling like they were pulled out by an angel,” James tells The Tennessean. “I’ve heard that story multiple times, like ‘I had that happen to me.’ It’s interesting that it really touched a nerve. So, it’s been a true blessing.”
“I Hold On” by Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley was mourning the loss of his father when he wrote “I Hold On” with James. The song was released in 2013, one year after Bentley’s father passed away.
Bentley shares the story of the song when speaking about the loss of James.
“I brought a couple of roughy sketched verse ideas of ‘I Hold On to Brett’ after my dad died, and he just did his thing,” Bentley recalls. “The chorus is all him. When I sing that song live, I’m always thinking of my dad, but I also think about that day we wrote it. He just got it, just lit into it. It was one of the first times we wrote, and I decided to drop the most meaningful and necessary idea of a song I had on him, because I felt like God was telling me to do so. Our friendship and that song changed my life. Prayers for his family.”
“The Truth” by Jason Aldean
James and Ashley Monroe penned “The Truth” on Jason Aldean’s 2008 Wide Open album. The song, a No. 1 hit for Aldean, was an easy one for James to write, remaining one of his favorites.
“We had the title ‘The Truth’ when we sat down to write,” James tells The Boot. “We started talking about what to do to make people interested in finding out what ‘the truth’ meant. “
James goes on to say they created a “character who would rather not talk about the truth, but the opposite of the truth instead. We all have that amount of pride deep down of trying to not let the world know that we’re heartbroken. The song came effortlessly for us. It was an easy write.”
“Blessed” by Martina McBride
Martina McBride includes “Blessed,” written by James, Lindsey, and Troy Verges, on her 2001 Greatest Hits album. The song is still performed by McBride, almost 25 years after it was first released.
“Blessed” was inspired by another hit, “Who I Am”, which James and Troy Verges wrote together for Jessica Andrews.
“Brett and I had written ‘Who I Am’ [for Jessica Andrews], and that was the first song that really blew up for us,” Verges recalls (via Songfacts). “It got so much attention. It was like, ‘What’s so different about this song?’ It’s not a love song, so I was on this kick about writing songs that aren’t just love songs.
“There’s not that many of them, so people respond to them,” he continues. “That was in my head for a while, and it still is. If you can do that … write a song that’s not a love song, it’s a way to stand out a little bit. ‘Blessed’ is a love song, but it’s not a romantic love song. Part of it is, but it’s about celebrating life.”
Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images
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