"When the Sun Goes Down." "You Save Me." "Just to Say We Did." "Out Last Night." There are just several of the classic Kenny Chesney songs written by Brett James.
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'James died Thursday, Sep. 18, in a small-engine plane crash in Franklin, North Carolina, along with his wife and her 28-year-old daughter. He was 57.
Chesney paid tribute to the songwriter yesterday in a very emotional message on social media.
"I Didn't Want To Believe It"
The post includes several pictures of James and Chesney together. The caption begins with Chesney acknowledging a "very difficult goodbye" to his "Brother Of The Sun."
"I haven't wanted to post cause I didn't want to believe it," he wrote. "Brett and I shared a unique bond. A Brotherhood. A kinship. We wrote Reality and Out Last Night on the same afternoon sitting on my pool deck in the Virgin Islands two days after Christmas."
Chesney reflects on the "authentic life fun" he shared with James while writing songs and on how much he will miss those moments.
"It's hard to process his creative soul being gone," he adds. "This kind of loss. I feel as if part of my creative soul went with him. It will be a void in my life and creativity forever. I've never known writing songs or being on the road without him."
He continued, "Half the songs in my shows are songs he wrote or songs we wrote together. So it's impossible for me to do shows moving forward and not think about him."
Kenny Chesney and James Were Lifelong Friends
Chesney thanks James as he says a final goodbye to his friend.
He wrote, "I can't believe I'm saying it but adios Brett James. Thank you for being a lifer, for being a shirtless, sunburned troubadour, for your friendship, your songs and all the laughs.
"Save me a seat at the After Party!"
Chesney then added the refrain from one of James' songs, "Knowing You."
James Also Wrote for Other Country Artists
James took home his only Grammy Award for co-writing "Jesus Take the Wheel," the hit song by Carrie Underwood. He would go on to co-write several songs with the American Idol winner, including "Church Bells," "Cowboy Casanova," and "The Champion."
James also wrote the Jessica Andrews hit "Who I Am" and "Blessed," which was made famous by Martina McBride. He also wrote music for Dierks Bentley and Tim McGraw, among other notable artists. In 2020, James was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was also an ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year twice, a producer, and a board member of the Country Music Association.
Photo by Danny Clinch
