Who Were Brett James' Parents? Dad Was A US Army Veteran, Brett Followed Dad's Path In Medicine

American country music singer, Brett James’ sudden death in a plane crash has left his family and fans mourning. For the unversed, Brett James passed away due to a tragic accident on September 18, 2025, at the age of 57. Brett was well known for his composition, Carrie Underwood's 2006 number-one hit song, Jesus, Take The Wheel, for which he won the Grammy Award for Best Country Song. 

He is survived by his wife, Sandra Cornelius and their four children. However, did you know that before starting his career in music, Brett followed his father’s footsteps and pursued a career in medicine? Yes, you read it right. So, with further ado, let’s jump in to know more about him and his parents.

Who were Brett James’ parents?

Brett James, whose full name was Brett James Cornelius, was born on July 5, 1968, to Dr. Sam Cornelius and Carolyn Cornelius. He had two siblings. His father, Dr. Sam Cornelius, was a U.S. Army veteran. Brett’s dad later pursued a career in medicine after graduating from Missouri’s  Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri. He passed away in 2007, after being married to Carolyn for 43 years. However, nothing much is known about Brett’s mother, but according to The Legacy Obituary, Carolyn was married to Sam for 43 years, before Sam’s demise in 2007.

Brett James’ early career in medicine

In 1986, Brett graduated from Christian Heritage Academy in Del City, Oklahoma. He later joined Baylor University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991. Following in his father’s footsteps, Brett attended medical school at the University of Oklahoma in the early 1990s. However, after just one year, he decided to drop out of the medical school to pursue his passion for music in Nashville. In 1995, he signed with Career Records, and released his self-titled debut album, which featured singles like Female Bonding, If I Could See Love, and Worth the Fall.

He also contributed to country compilation albums and sang on a Christmas collection. Despite these efforts, his music career didn’t work out at that time, and by 1998, he had lost both his record and publishing deals. In an early interview with The Oklahoman, Brett shared that he was forced to return to medical school as his music career failed to take off. Recalling the tough time, Brett said:

"My singles never really worked out at radio. Everybody thought I was gonna be a big shot, and then seven years later, I lost my record deal, lost my publishing deal. And I decided I'd better go back to med school and figure out how to feed my kids."

Brett James' successful career as a songwriter

Over the years, Brett James made his mark as a songwriter, working with some of country music’s biggest stars like Billy Ray Cyrus, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride, and Carrie Underwood. In the same interview with  The Oklahoman, Brett recalled how his music career suddenly took off at a time when he was ready to give up on music. While attending medical school, he managed to have 33 songs recorded by artists in just nine months.

Big names like Martina McBride and Tim McGraw started choosing his songs. One of his biggest achievements came in 2007 with Carrie Underwood’s hit song, Jesus, Take the Wheel, which earned him and the co-writers the Grammy Award for Best Country Song. In recognition of his contributions to country music, Brett was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020.

Brett James' untimely death is a loss for the country music fraternity. We extend our condolences to the family of the legendary composer.

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