Garth Brooks Gives Us All the Feels Accepting Icon Award From Cher at 2020 Billboard Music Awards

No “Unanswered Prayers” here—Garth Brooks is officially a winner of the Billboard Icon Award.

At the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, the singer-songwriter took home the trophy after more than 30 years in the business.

During his speech on Wednesday, Oct. 14, Brooks thanked his wife of 15 years, Trisha Yearwood, calling her “the love of my life.”

He melted our hearts with a message to his daughters—Allie, August and Taylor—by saying, “I will love you for all my time here on this planet.”

The country star added, “To all those people who fill those stands, thank you! Thank you for my life.”

Brooks began his acceptance speech with a rapid-fire medley of his hit songs, which was all too nostalgic. He played guitar while performing “The Thunder Rolls,” “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” “The River,” “Standing Outside the Fire,” “That Summer” and “Dive Bar.”

For “Friends in Low Places,” he optimistically called out to the empty auditorium, “Now I wanna hear you sing it!” And concluded with his signature 1989 song, “The Dance.”

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood’s Cutest Pictures

Naturally, Brooks didn’t miss the opportunity to thank Cher after the superstar presented him with the coveted statue. “To miss Cher, getting the award you got makes me feel cool and cool is never a word I would use to describe me,” the 58-year-old joked.

Cher introduced him as a “true music legend and my friend,” adding, “he brings the highest energy and the latest production to every performance.”

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Host Kelly Clarkson was over the moon about the private concert. She basically screamed out afterward, “Here is all I have to say about that people: Yeah! That just happened. He just melted your faces off. I love Garth Brooks. And Trisha!”

And it certainly took him long enough to get his hands on the prize. Brooks was announced as the recipient in February, but the NBC and dick clark productions show had to be postponed from April to October due to the pandemic.

It was worth the wait. The Icon Award was created in 2011 and the previous three winners were Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson and, of course, Cher, so he’s in some legendary company.

Billboard Music Awards 2020: See Every Star in Attendance

Brooks released his self-titled, first album in 1989. He went on to earn 14 Grammy nominations and has two wins under his cowboy belt, one each for “In Another’s Eyes” and “Ropin’ The Wind.”

Another of Brooks’ crowning achievements was being inducted into the Live Music Hall of Fame two years ago.

And although Brooks was in the running for the Entertainer of the Year at the CMA Awards this year, he removed himself from the competition…because he’s already won it seven times!

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“There is a freeing feeling about me right now when I walk out of this building that I’m going to really, really, really enjoy where we stand as a band and crew,” the musician said. “I really love the fact that someone else is gonna get to experience that Entertainer of the Year nod, so that’s a wonderful thing.”

Carrie Underwood and Thomas Rhett had the honor.

Tune in to the 2020 Billboard Music Awards on NBC, and watch the show-stopping performances from Demi Lovato and BTS.

(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)