Complete List Of Brett James Songs From A to Z

Feature Photo: (DoD photo by D. Myles Cullen/Released), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Brett James Cornelius was born in Columbia, Missouri, on June 5, 1968, and grew up in Oklahoma. He attended Baylor University and entered medical school before leaving that path for Nashville, where songwriting became the center of his professional life.

James first pursued a recording career. His self-titled album arrived in 1995 through Career Records, an Arista Nashville imprint, and introduced “Female Bonding,” “If I Could See Love,” and “Worth the Fall.” He returned to the country chart in the early 2000s with “Chasin’ Amy” and “After All,” but his greatest influence developed through the songs he wrote for other performers.

Jessica Andrews’ “Who I Am” became his first number-one country hit. James followed it with a long sequence of widely recorded songs that included Martina McBride’s “Blessed,” Kenny Chesney and Uncle Kracker’s “When the Sun Goes Down,” Rodney Atkins’ “It’s America,” Jason Aldean’s “The Truth,” Chris Young’s “The Man I Want to Be,” Dierks Bentley’s “I Hold On,” Brantley Gilbert’s “Bottoms Up,” and Cody Johnson’s “On My Way to You.”

His work with Carrie Underwood produced some of the most recognized songs in his catalog. “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” written with Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson, earned the Grammy Award for Best Country Song. James also shared writing credits on “Cowboy Casanova,” “Something in the Water,” “Church Bells,” “The Champion,” “Love Wins,” “Drinking Alone,” “Flat on the Floor,” “Twisted,” and other Underwood recordings.

James’ reach extended beyond country music. His songs were recorded by Kelly Clarkson, Bon Jovi, Backstreet Boys, Daughtry, Leona Lewis, Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, Chicago, Paulina Rubio, and numerous other artists. He also worked as a producer and publisher, founded Cornman Music, and became an advocate for songwriters through industry leadership positions.

In 2020, James released the five-song I Am Now EP, his first solo project in more than two decades. The six-song Tell the People EP followed later that year, and he contributed songs and performances to the motion-picture soundtrack Then Came You. These recordings revealed the soul, Americana, country, and gospel influences behind a writer best known through other artists’ voices.

James was inducted as a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame’s 2020 class. His honors also included ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year awards and recognition throughout Nashville for a body of work that produced dozens of major hits and hundreds of recorded songs.

Brett James died on September 18, 2025, in an airplane crash near Franklin, North Carolina. He was 57. The country-music community responded with tributes that emphasized not only the reach of his songs but also his generosity as a collaborator, mentor, publisher, and defender of songwriters’ rights.

The catalog below brings together songs written or co-written by Brett James, including recordings by other artists and selections from his work as a solo performer.

Complete List Of Brett James Songs From A to Z

0–E

“90 Degrees and Freezing” – Chicago
“After All” – Brett James
“All the Crap I Do” – Mark Wills
“Always Be This Way” – Martina McBride
“Always Sixteen” – Billy Ray Cyrus
“American Radio” – Carolina Rain
“At the End of the Day” – Kellie Coffey
“Baby Be My Love Song” – Easton Corbin
“Baby, You’re Right” – Phil Vassar
“The Bad in Me” – Jake Owen
“Big Cry” – Sara Evans
“Blessed” – Martina McBride
“Bottoms Up” – Brantley Gilbert
“Bucket” – Kenny Chesney
“The Champion” – Carrie Underwood featuring Ludacris
“Chasin’ Amy” – Brett James
“Cheatin’” – Sara Evans
“Church Bells” – Carrie Underwood
“Country Star” – Pat Green
“Cowboy Casanova” – Carrie Underwood
“Cowboy Girl” – Lonestar
“Crazy White Boy” – Mark Wills
“Dancin’ for the Groceries” – Kenny Chesney
“Dark Side of the Moon” – Brett James (1995)
“Days of Thunder” – Mark Wills
“Don’t Give Up on Me” – Jason Aldean
“Drinking Alone” – Carrie Underwood
“Drugs or Jesus” – Tim McGraw
“Enjoy the Ride” – Brett James (1995)
“Everything I Shouldn’t Be Thinking About” – Thompson Square

F–J

“Falling” – Trent Harmon
“Feels Just Like It Should” – Pat Green
“Female Bonding” – Brett James (1995)
“Fingerprints” – Kellie Coffey
“Flat on the Floor” – Katrina Elam, Carrie Underwood
“Flip Flop Summer” – Kenny Chesney
“Follow Me Home” – Jamie O’Neal
“Footsteps of Our Fathers” – Pat Green
“From This Dream” – Little Big Town
“Funny Thing About Love” – Lauren Alaina
“Game On” – Carrie Underwood
“Get Off on the Pain” – Gary Allan
“Gone but Not Forgotten” – Brett James featuring Katie Ohh; Then Came You soundtrack (2020)
“Gonna Know We Were Here” – Jason Aldean
“Good to Be Me” – Uncle Kracker featuring Kid Rock
“Grown Woman” – Jason Aldean
“Hands on You” – Florida Georgia Line
“Hank” – Mark Wills
“The Heart of Dixie” – Danielle Bradbery
“Heartache That Don’t Stop Hurting” – Jason Aldean
“Helpless When She Smiles” – Backstreet Boys
“Helplessly, Hopelessly” – Jessica Andrews
“Here I Am” – Leona Lewis
“Hollywood, California” – Blue County
“Hope in Front of Me” – Danny Gokey
“Howard Thinks, Annabelle Runs” – Sal Oliveri and Brett James; Then Came You soundtrack (2020)
“I Am Now” – I Am Now EP (2020)
“I Don’t Want To” – Ashley Monroe with Ronnie Dunn
“I Don’t Want to Live” – Josh Gracin, Chris Cagle
“I Hold On” – Dierks Bentley
“I Just Want to Love You” – Lonestar
“I Love My Old Bird Dog (& I Love You Too)” – Crossin Dixon
“I Love You This Big” – Scotty McCreery
“I Need a Man” – Crystal Shawanda
“I Use What I Got” – Jason Aldean
“I Want to Live” – Josh Gracin
“I Was Made for You” – Chris Cagle
“I Would” – Jolie & the Wanted
“I’ve Forgotten You” – Michelle Wright, Rhonda Vincent
“If I Could See Love” – Brett James (1995)
“Invisible” – Josh Gracin
“Isabella” – Dia Frampton
“It’s a Business Doing Pleasure with You” – Tim McGraw
“It’s America” – Rodney Atkins
“Jesus, Take the Wheel” – Carrie Underwood
“Just Like We Never Happened” – Brett James (1995)
“Just Tell Me” – Tell the People EP (2020)
“Just to Say We Did” – Kenny Chesney

K–O

“Keep on Wanting” – The Fray
“Keg in the Closet” – Kenny Chesney
“Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me” – Kenny Chesney
“Knowing You” – Kenny Chesney
“Life After You” – Daughtry
“Like You Found Me” – Tell the People EP (2020)
“Little Bit Lonely” – Billy Currington
“Livin’ It Up” – Josh Gracin
“Lonely Ain’t So Lonely” – I Am Now EP (2020)
“Long Lost Friend” – Chicago
“Look What I Found” – Chris Cagle
“Losing at Loving” – Blue County
“Lost Without You” – Pat Green
“Love Don’t Have to Be So Hard” – Trent Willmon
“Love Is a Sweet Thing” – Faith Hill
“Love Me to Death” – Kathie Lee Gifford and Brett James; Then Came You soundtrack (2020)
“The Love We Make” – Rodney Atkins
“Love Wins” – Carrie Underwood
“Love You Out Loud” – Rascal Flatts
“Loved” – Lucy Hale
“Man Enough” – Jessica Simpson
“The Man I Want to Be” – Chris Young
“Many Tears Ago” – Brett James (1995)
“Mine Is You” – Neal McCoy
“Mr. Know It All” – Kelly Clarkson
“My Heart Moves On” – Chris Cagle
“Never Love Enough” – Chely Wright
“New Everythings” – Katie Ohh; Then Came You soundtrack (2020)
“(No One’s Gonna) Break Me Down” – Wynonna Judd
“No Place” – Backstreet Boys
“Not Tonight” – Kristy Lee Cook
“November” – Emerson Drive
“On Christmas Time” – single (2019)
“On My Highway” – Jason Aldean
“On My Way to You” – Cody Johnson
“Once Upon a Broken Heart” – The Beu Sisters
“One Trip” – Montgomery Gentry
“The One You Love / Todo Mi Amor” – Paulina Rubio
“Out Last Night” – Kenny Chesney
“Out of My Head” – Theory of a Deadman

P–T

“Peace of Mind” – Josh Gracin
“A Perfectly Good Heart” – Taylor Swift
“Petty Fool” – Tell the People EP (2020)
“Practice Life” – Andy Griggs with Martina McBride
“Pray Out Loud” – Jessica Simpson
“Pretty Face Fool” – Jewel
“Raincoat” – Kelly Sweet
“Ready to Roll” – Brett James and Sal Oliveri; Then Came You soundtrack (2020)
“Reality” – Kenny Chesney
“Red Camaro” – Keith Urban
“Right Now” – Chad Brock
“Right on Time” – Tell the People EP (2020)
“Save Us” – Keith Bryant
“Say Yes” – Dusty Drake
“Scars on This Guitar” – Bon Jovi
“She’s Killin’ Me” – Brett James (1995)
“Sing” – Neal McCoy
“Sing My Song” – Brett James; Then Came You soundtrack (2020)
“So Magical” – Martina McBride
“Somethin’ Bad” – Miranda Lambert with Carrie Underwood
“Something in the Water” – Carrie Underwood
“Southern Soul” – Tell the People EP (2020)
“Spirit of a Storm” – Kenny Chesney
“Start of Something Good” – Daughtry
“Stay with Me (Brass Bed)” – Josh Gracin
“Still Beautiful” – Jessica Simpson
“Still Don’t Stop Me” – Jessica Simpson
“Still on My Mind” – I Am Now EP (2020)
“Stone Cold Sober” – Brantley Gilbert
“Stoned” – Parker McCollum
“Strange” – The Warren Brothers
“Stubborn (Psalm 151)” – Lee Ann Womack
“Sugar and Daisies” – 3 of Hearts
“A Summer Day” – Shane Yellowbird
“Summer Nights” – Rascal Flatts
“Summer of Love” – Martina McBride
“Swingin’ Door” – Catherine Britt
“Tears and Time” – Andy Griggs
“Tell the People” – Tell the People EP (2020)
“Telluride” – Tim McGraw, Josh Gracin
“Texas Plates” – Kellie Coffey
“Then Came You” – Brett James; Then Came You soundtrack (2020)
“Things That You Say” – Jon McLaughlin
“This Mystery” – Marco Borsato & Sita
“This Time” – Pia Toscano
“A Thousand Years” – Little Big Town
“Thrill of the Chase” – Brett James (1995)
“Till We Ain’t Strangers Anymore” – Bon Jovi with LeAnn Rimes
“To Get to You” – Lorrie Morgan
“Touch of Grey” – Bon Jovi
“Tremble” – Mindy McCready
“True Believer” – I Am Now EP (2020)
“The Truth” – Trent Willmon, Jason Aldean
“Tryin’” – Little Big Town, Pam Tillis
“Turn It Up” – Josh Gracin
“Twisted” – Carrie Underwood

U–Z

“Up All Night” – Kip Moore
“Wait” – I Am Now EP (2020)
“Wake Up and Smell the Whiskey” – Brett James (1995)
“Wal-Mart Parking Lot” – Chris Cagle
“The Way That You Love” – Brett James (1995)
“We Can’t Do It Alone” – Van Zant
“What Do You Got?” – Bon Jovi
“What the World Needs” – Wynonna Judd
“What You’re Lookin’ For” – Tim McGraw
“Wheels” – Josh Gracin
“When the Sun Goes Down” – Kenny Chesney and Uncle Kracker
“When You Dance with Me” – Rushlow
“When You Love Me” – Jessica Andrews
“When You Think of Me” – Mark Wills
“Whiskey and Wine” – Kathie Lee Gifford and Brett James; Then Came You soundtrack (2020)
“Who I Am” – Jessica Andrews
“Wife and Kids” – Kenny Chesney
“With Me” – Lonestar
“Women Rule the World” – Lonestar
“Worth the Fall” – Brett James (1995)
“You” – Meredith Edwards
“You Break Me” – 3 of Hearts
“You Get to Me” – Mindy McCready
“You Might Want to Think About It” – Chris Cagle
“You Save Me” – Kenny Chesney
“You Still Take Me There” – Collin Raye
“You Were Just Here” – Jo Dee Messina
“You Won’t Be Lonely Now” – Billy Ray Cyrus
“Your Blues” – Little Texas