Brett James
Encyclopedia
Brett James Cornelius is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Signed to Career Records (a division of Arista Nashville
) as a solo artist in 1995, James charted three singles
and released a self-titled debut album that year. He returned to Arista as a recording artist in 2002, releasing two more singles.
Since the early 2000s, James has become known primarily as a songwriter for other country and pop music artists. Among his compositions is Carrie Underwood
's 2006 Number One hit "Jesus, Take the Wheel
," which received Grammy Award
s for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song. His writers' credits also include Number One hits for Jessica Andrews
, Martina McBride
, Kenny Chesney
, Rodney Atkins
and Jason Aldean
.
to the late Carolyn and Dr.Sam Cornelius, graduating from Christian Heritage Academy high-school in Del City, Oklahoma in 1985. After leaving medical school in 1992, James began his musical career as a recording artist on Career Records, a subsidiary of Arista Nashville
, in 1995. That year, he released his self-titled debut album, which included the charting singles
"Female Bonding," "If I Could See Love" and "Worth the Fall." Also included on this album was "Wake Up and Smell the Whiskey", which was co-written and later released as a single by Dean Miller
in 1997.
In addition, he appeared on two compilation albums issued by Arista Nashville. The first of these was 1996's Star of Wonder: A Country Christmas, on which he sang "White Christmas
," and the other was a country-gospel
album entitled Peace in the Valley, to which he contributed a recording of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus
." This latter album was also promoted via a special on The Nashville Network
(TNN), now Spike. In 1998, James and Tammy Graham
were both dropped from Career Records when it merged with Arista Nashville.
James returned to his singing career in the early 2000s. After declining to join the band Sixwire
, he re-signed with Arista Nashville
and began working with producer Dann Huff
. Although he charted in the top 40 of the Hot Country Songs
charts with "Chasing Amy" and "After All", he never released a full album.
medical school again until 2000. He began writing singles for other artists in the early 2000s, including the Number One hits "Who I Am
" by Jessica Andrews
and "Blessed" by Martina McBride
.
He continued to write for other artists, with two more of his co-writes topping the charts: "When the Sun Goes Down
" by Kenny Chesney
and Uncle Kracker
, and "Jesus, Take the Wheel
" by Carrie Underwood
, in 2004 and 2006 respectively. "Jesus, Take the Wheel" also won a Grammy Award
for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song, the latter of which was awarded to James and the song's other two songwriters. Rodney Atkins
' "It's America
", Chesney's "Out Last Night
" and Carrie Underwood's "Cowboy Casanova
", all co-written by James, also topped the country charts in 2009. In 2010 James charted number one with Jason Aldean
's "The Truth
" and Chris Young's "The Man I Want to Be
". ASCAP named James their country songwriter of the year in 2006 and again in 2010. Non-country artists who have recorded his works include The Backstreet Boys, Bon Jovi
and Paulina Rubio
. James also co-wrote American Idol
season 10 winner Scotty McCreery
's debut single "I Love You This Big
".
In 2008, James also began working as a record producer
, with his production credits including Gracin's We Weren't Crazy
, Kristy Lee Cook
's Why Wait, a re-release of Taylor Swift
's self-titled debut album
, and Jessica Simpson
's Do You Know
.
, Tim McGraw
and others.
^ "Female Bonding" also peaked at number 89 on the RPM
Country Tracks chart in Canada.
Arista Nashville
Arista Nashville is an American record label that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, operated under the Sony Music Nashville division. Founded in 1989, the label specializes in country music artists, including Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood...
) as a solo artist in 1995, James charted three singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and released a self-titled debut album that year. He returned to Arista as a recording artist in 2002, releasing two more singles.
Since the early 2000s, James has become known primarily as a songwriter for other country and pop music artists. Among his compositions is Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Marie Underwood is an American country singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, in 2005...
's 2006 Number One hit "Jesus, Take the Wheel
Jesus, Take the Wheel
"Jesus, Take the Wheel" is a song written by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson. It is the second single from Carrie Underwood's debut album, Some Hearts....
," which received Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song. His writers' credits also include Number One hits for Jessica Andrews
Jessica Andrews
Jessica Danielle Andrews is an American country music singer. At age 15 in mid-1999, she made her debut on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts with the single "I Will Be There for You", from her debut album Heart Shaped World, released in 1999 on DreamWorks Records Nashville.Andrews...
, Martina McBride
Martina McBride
Martina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range....
, Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
, Rodney Atkins
Rodney Atkins
Rodney Allan Atkins is an American country music artist. Signed to Curb Records in 1996, he charted his first single on the Billboard country chart that year, but did not release an album until 2003's Honesty, which included the number 4 hit "Honesty ".If You're Going Through Hell, his second...
and Jason Aldean
Jason Aldean
Jason Aldine Williams is an American country music singer, known professionally as Jason Aldean. Since 2005, Aldean has recorded for Broken Bow Records, an independent record label for which he has released four albums and twelve singles...
.
Singing career
Brett James Cornelius was born June 5, 1968 in Columbia, MissouriColumbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
to the late Carolyn and Dr.Sam Cornelius, graduating from Christian Heritage Academy high-school in Del City, Oklahoma in 1985. After leaving medical school in 1992, James began his musical career as a recording artist on Career Records, a subsidiary of Arista Nashville
Arista Nashville
Arista Nashville is an American record label that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, operated under the Sony Music Nashville division. Founded in 1989, the label specializes in country music artists, including Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood...
, in 1995. That year, he released his self-titled debut album, which included the charting singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Female Bonding," "If I Could See Love" and "Worth the Fall." Also included on this album was "Wake Up and Smell the Whiskey", which was co-written and later released as a single by Dean Miller
Dean Miller
Roger Dean Miller, Jr. is an American country music artist, known professionally as Dean Miller. He is the son of Roger Miller, a country pop artist who had several hit singles between the 1960s and 1980s...
in 1997.
In addition, he appeared on two compilation albums issued by Arista Nashville. The first of these was 1996's Star of Wonder: A Country Christmas, on which he sang "White Christmas
White Christmas (song)
"White Christmas" is an Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the version sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide.Accounts vary as...
," and the other was a country-gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
album entitled Peace in the Valley, to which he contributed a recording of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus
What a Friend We Have in Jesus
"What a Friend We Have in Jesus" is a Christian hymn originally written by Joseph M. Scriven as a poem in 1855 to comfort his mother who was living in Ireland while he was in Canada. Scriven originally published the poem anonymously, and only received full credit for it in the 1880s. The tune to...
." This latter album was also promoted via a special on The Nashville Network
The Nashville Network
The Nashville Network, usually referred to as TNN, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows...
(TNN), now Spike. In 1998, James and Tammy Graham
Tammy Graham
-Track listing:#"I Stopped Looking" – 3:07#"Tell Me Again" – 3:23#"When the Blues and My Baby Collide" – 3:17#"More About Love" – 3:28...
were both dropped from Career Records when it merged with Arista Nashville.
James returned to his singing career in the early 2000s. After declining to join the band Sixwire
Sixwire
Sixwire is an American country music group from Nashville, Tennessee. The group is composed of Andy Childs , Robb Houston , John Howard , Steve Mandile , and Chuck Tilley . The band's name references the six strings on a guitar. Sixwire recorded one album for Warner Bros...
, he re-signed with Arista Nashville
Arista Nashville
Arista Nashville is an American record label that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, operated under the Sony Music Nashville division. Founded in 1989, the label specializes in country music artists, including Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood...
and began working with producer Dann Huff
Dann Huff
Dann Huff is an American musician, session musician, singer-songwriter and producer. For his work as a producer in the Country music genre he has won several awards including the Musician of the Year award in 2001 and 2004 at the Country Music Association Awards and the Producer of the Year award...
. Although he charted in the top 40 of the Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts with "Chasing Amy" and "After All", he never released a full album.
Songwriting career
After taking time off to raise his family, James attended University of OklahomaUniversity of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
medical school again until 2000. He began writing singles for other artists in the early 2000s, including the Number One hits "Who I Am
Who I Am (Jessica Andrews song)
"Who I Am" is the title of a song written by Brett James and Troy Verges, and recorded by American country artist Jessica Andrews. It was released as the first single from her second studio album of the same name.-Content:...
" by Jessica Andrews
Jessica Andrews
Jessica Danielle Andrews is an American country music singer. At age 15 in mid-1999, she made her debut on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts with the single "I Will Be There for You", from her debut album Heart Shaped World, released in 1999 on DreamWorks Records Nashville.Andrews...
and "Blessed" by Martina McBride
Martina McBride
Martina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range....
.
He continued to write for other artists, with two more of his co-writes topping the charts: "When the Sun Goes Down
When the Sun Goes Down (Kenny Chesney and Uncle Kracker song)
"When the Sun Goes Down" is a 2004 single by Kenny Chesney and Uncle Kracker. The song, written by Brett James, reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart on April 3, holding the number one position for five weeks. It also reached #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart...
" by Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
and Uncle Kracker
Uncle Kracker
Matthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born...
, and "Jesus, Take the Wheel
Jesus, Take the Wheel
"Jesus, Take the Wheel" is a song written by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson. It is the second single from Carrie Underwood's debut album, Some Hearts....
" by Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Marie Underwood is an American country singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, in 2005...
, in 2004 and 2006 respectively. "Jesus, Take the Wheel" also won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song, the latter of which was awarded to James and the song's other two songwriters. Rodney Atkins
Rodney Atkins
Rodney Allan Atkins is an American country music artist. Signed to Curb Records in 1996, he charted his first single on the Billboard country chart that year, but did not release an album until 2003's Honesty, which included the number 4 hit "Honesty ".If You're Going Through Hell, his second...
' "It's America
It's America (song)
"It's America" is the title of a country music song written by Brett James and Angelo Petraglia. It was recorded by American country music singer Rodney Atkins, who released it in November 2008 as a single...
", Chesney's "Out Last Night
Out Last Night
"Out Last Night" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Kenny Chesney. Released on April 6, 2009, it is the only new track on his 2009 album Greatest Hits II. The song is Chesney's forty-second single release, and his thirty-eighth Top 40 hit on the U.S...
" and Carrie Underwood's "Cowboy Casanova
Cowboy Casanova
"Cowboy Casanova" is a country song by American recording artist Carrie Underwood. The song was written by Mike Elizondo, Brett James and co-written by Underwood herself. It was released on September 14, 2009 by Arista Nashville as the lead single from her third studio album, Play On...
", all co-written by James, also topped the country charts in 2009. In 2010 James charted number one with Jason Aldean
Jason Aldean
Jason Aldine Williams is an American country music singer, known professionally as Jason Aldean. Since 2005, Aldean has recorded for Broken Bow Records, an independent record label for which he has released four albums and twelve singles...
's "The Truth
The Truth (Trent Willmon song)
"The Truth" is the title of a country music song written by Brett James and Ashley Monroe, and recorded by two different artists. It was first recorded by Trent Willmon on his 2008 album Broken In, and one year later by Jason Aldean on his album Wide Open...
" and Chris Young's "The Man I Want to Be
The Man I Want to Be (song)
"The Man I Want to Be" is the title of a song written by Brett James and Tim Nichols and recorded by American country artist Chris Young. It was released in November 2009 as the third single from his second studio album, also titled The Man I Want to Be....
". ASCAP named James their country songwriter of the year in 2006 and again in 2010. Non-country artists who have recorded his works include The Backstreet Boys, Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
and Paulina Rubio
Paulina Rubio
Paulina Susana Rubio Rue is a Mexican singer and actress. Rubio achieved international stardom with her fifth studio album, Paulina...
. James also co-wrote American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
season 10 winner Scotty McCreery
Scotty McCreery
Scott Cooke "Scotty" McCreery is an American country singer from Garner, North Carolina . He also won the tenth season of American Idol on May 25, 2011. His debut studio album, Clear as Day was released in October 2011...
's debut single "I Love You This Big
I Love You This Big
"I Love You This Big" is the debut single and coronation song of American recording artist and American Idol 's season 10 winner, Scotty McCreery. It was first performed on the American Idol final performance show on May 24, 2011. The single was released to digital retailers after the final result...
".
In 2008, James also began working as a record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, with his production credits including Gracin's We Weren't Crazy
We Weren't Crazy
We Weren't Crazy is the second studio album from American country music artist Josh Gracin. Originally titled All About Y'all, the album was slated for release in mid-2006 after the release of its debut single "Favorite State of Mind". However the album release was delayed when the debut single...
, Kristy Lee Cook
Kristy Lee Cook
Kristy Lee Cook is an American country singer who was born in Seattle, Washington and was the seventh place finalist on the seventh season of American Idol. In 2005 Cook released her debut album called Devoted. In June 2008, Cook signed to 19 Recordings and Arista Nashville. She released her...
's Why Wait, a re-release of Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
's self-titled debut album
Taylor Swift (album)
Taylor Swift is the eponymous debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. The album was released on October 24, 2006 by Big Machine Records. Swift wrote songs for the album during her freshman year of high school and has writing credits on all of the albums' songs including those...
, and Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
's Do You Know
Do You Know (Jessica Simpson album)
Do You Know is the sixth studio album by American singer Jessica Simpson. The album was released on September 9, 2008, in the United States by a joint-venture between Columbia Nashville and Epic Records. The album is her first effort in an attempt to cross over to country music. Songwriter Brett...
.
Songs written by Brett James
James' songwriting credits include seven Number One hits. Besides these, he has co-written several other Top Ten country hits, including cuts by Rascal Flatts, Josh Gracin, Sara EvansSara Evans
Sara Lynn Evans is an American country singer and songwriter.Evans was one of the few traditional-styled singers to emerge from Nashville in the late 1990s, according to Allmusic. Since emerging in the late 1990s, Evans has made five No. 1 Country hits and Gold and Platinum-certified albums by...
, Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the...
and others.
Albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Brett James Brett James (album) Brett James is the self-titled debut album of American country music singer-songwriter Brett James. It was released on September 12, 1995 via Arista Nashville's Career Records division... |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
|||
| 1995 | "Female Bonding"[A] | 60 | Brett James |
| "If I Could See Love" | 68 | ||
| "Worth the Fall" | 73 | ||
| 2002 | "Chasin' Amy" | 34 | singles only |
| 2003 | "After All" | 39 | |
^ "Female Bonding" also peaked at number 89 on the RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
Country Tracks chart in Canada.
Music videos
| Year | Video |
|---|---|
| 1995 | "Female Bonding" |
| "If I Could See Love" |