Garth Brooks was honored with the Icon Award at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards on Wednesday night (October 14).
The country star received the award from previous winner Cher, who listed Brooks' numerous accomplishments, calling him a "true music legend and friend." Brooks then performed a medley of his hits starting with "The Thunder Rolls" and ending with "The Dance."
During his acceptance speech, the country legend thanked Cher as well as several other important people in his life. "Cher, getting to hold the award that you got makes me feel cool- and cool is never a word I would use to describe me," Brooks joked. "If I had to think of one person or one entity, it would be God Almighty, for through him all things are possible."
He also thanked "the love of my life," his wife of 15 years, Trisha Yearwood. as well as hi his three daughters, whom he shares with ex-wife Sandy Mahl. "I will love you for all my time on this planet," he said, adding, "Country radio, you gave me this! To all those people who fill those stands, thank you! Thank you for my life!"
Ahead of the show, Brooks turned to Instagram to share a photo of himself in a mask backstage with a guitar in his hands getting ready to perform followed by a snapshot of himself and Yearwood sharing a masked kiss.
"The @Billboard Awards are TONIGHT!!" he wrote alongside the photos. "You're not going to believe who is presenting! And we brought ALL of you with us...can i just say, y'all are going to look AMAZING on the show tonight!! Thank you for the ride:) love, g."
After the show, Brooks shared another photo from the evening. "Receiving the @Billboard Icon Award from @CHER!," he captioned the snapshot of himself standing next to Cher on stage. "Now THAT is iconic and the greatest honor!! love, g."
Earlier this year, it was announced that Brooks would be receiving Billboard's 2020 Icon Award. Previously the award has gone Cher, Neil Diamond, Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey.
Congrats to this year's Icon Award recipient. See the 2020 Billboard Music Awards complete winners list here.
Photo: Getty Images