Brett James dies tragically in a plane crash

Brett James died in a plane crash in North Carolina, leaving his fans devastated.

The country songwriter, who co-wrote famous songs like Out Last Night, and I Hold On, passed away tragically at the age of 57 on Thursday, September 18.

The heartbreaking news was announced by the Nashville Songwriters' Hall of Fame community through a public Facebook post. He was inducted into the community in 2020.

James was allegedly operating a Cirrus SR22T plane when it crashed in North Carolina after taking off from Nashville’s John C. Tune Airport in the afternoon.

The small-engine plane was reportedly carrying three passengers, including Brett, and unfortunately, none of them survived.

The crooner has been credited for penning 500 songs and was recognised as the Country’s Songwriter of the Year by The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).

James has also contributed to the music of A-list celebrities, including Taylor Swift's A Perfectly Good Heart and Carrie Underwood's Jesus, Take the Wheel.

His work has garnered two Grammy nominations, winning the award for Best Country Song, and reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

For the unversed, James released his self-titled debut album in September 1995.