Randy Travis recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s CMT Artists of the Year and Garth Brooks was on hand to honor his hero.

Brooks praised Travis for his impact on country music saying, “I stand here tonight as one of the benefactors of this man’s contributions to country music. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Randy Travis single-handedly saved country music.”

Following the show, Randy took to Facebook to thank Garth for his kind words and share some of his own. “When my last silent prayer is said, I’ll thank God for Garth Brooks in my life,” he shared.

“Thank you, Garth, for the time you always take from your climb, to check on me and share your kind words with the world about what I meant to you,” he continued. “I may have helped bring our genre back to life, but you taught it how to live!”

Read his heartfelt message below.