Is Brett James married? All about family as songwriter dies in Plane crash near NC school

Singer-songwriter Brett James died in a plane crash near Franklin, North Carolina, in Macon County, on September 18, 2025. He was 57.

The Grammy Award winner was on board with two others at the time of the incident, which happened at 3:00 p.m. local time. However, none of them survived, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. He was known for songs like "Jesus Take the Wheel" and "When the Sun Goes Down."

Fox17 reported that the crash occurred near Iota Valley Elementary School. However, students and staff are said to be safe, according to the Macon County, NC Sheriff’s Office. The aircraft was registered to Brett Cornelius of Brentwood, Tennessee.

Following his recent death, people are curious about his personal life, including his wife. He was married to Sandy Cornelius, according to a report in MusicRow. He lived with her in Nashville, Tennessee, along with their four children. Sandy performed with her husband and son, Preston, during the 25th annual Friends & Fashion luncheon in Tennessee.

All you need to know about Brett James’ family

Brett James was a husband, father, and beloved son. His birth name was Brett James Cornelius. He was born in Columbia, Missouri. He has a brother named Wells and a sister, Julie.

He initially planned to follow in the footsteps of his father, Dr. Sam Cornelius, who was a physician. He attended the University of Oklahoma medical school. During his sophomore year, he met a friend who helped him arrange meetings with three record labels. In a 2009 interview with The Oklahoman, he said:

"Two of them kind of patted me on the head and sent me packing, but the third one was with Arista Records, and at the time, they were the best record label around.”

So, after quitting medical school, he moved to Nashville to pursue his music career. He released his self-titled debut album in 1995. Music ran in Brett James's blood since his mother, Carolyn, was a classical pianist. But his father was also a talented singer. In an interview, he talked about his father, who passed away in 2007.

"He's the best singer in the family. He could have done it professionally, and I think he always wished he had. He was really in favor of me pursuing music. I think he's been able to live vicariously through me a little.”

Speaking about the song, When the Sun Goes Down, he shared that he “literally wrote it in my head on the way home from a session.” He played it for his wife after reaching home, and she loved it. That is how it became one of his most-loved tracks.

Brett James is survived by his wife and four children- three boys and a daughter named Clare. James explained in several interviews that he penned his song, True Believer while keeping his children in mind. He told American Songwriter,

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“I sort of loved watching them all cry as they listened to the song. My daughter and I will always have that moment and we will always have that song.”

True Believer tells the story of a father/daughter relationship, who prepares himself to watch his daughter fly away.

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