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Country music star Kenny Chesney has shared a moving tribute to his late friend and songwriting partner, Brett James, who died in a plane crash on September 19th along with his wife and stepdaughter.
In an Instagram post on September 22nd, Chesney shared photos of himself with James, calling him his “Brother Of The Sun.” Chesney admitted the difficulty of processing the loss, saying he hadn’t wanted to post anything because he “didn’t want to believe it.”
He spoke of their close bond and the “authentic life fun” they had writing hits like “Reality” and “Out Last Night” together. Chesney acknowledged the impact James had on his music, saying, “Half the songs in my shows are songs he wrote or songs we wrote together.”
He concluded his post with lyrics from James’ song “Knowing You.”
Fans responded with an outpouring of support for Chesney. Many shared their condolences and memories of James’ music, while others acknowledged the deep connection between the two artists and the impact this loss must have on Chesney. James, a Grammy-winning songwriter, penned hits for numerous country music stars, including Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Tim McGraw, and collaborated with Chesney on over a dozen songs.