Vince Gill recently told an amazing story on the It’s Not The Duck podcast with Scotti Madison, that involved a life-altering moment he had with Eric Clapton.

Gill and Madison were speaking about Eric Clapton when Gill told the epic story. Gill started it off by saying, “I answered the phone one day and I said ‘Hello?’ He said, ‘It’s Eric Clapton.’ I said, ‘Yeah, sure it is.'”

Gill said he for sure thought it was one of his buddies prank calling him. He saw no reason for Clapton, a much bigger superstar at the time of the call, to be reaching out to him.

Gill refers to this particular time in his career when radio stopped playing his songs, and getting a hit was becoming harder and harder. He said it happens to all artists and that “you’re a fool if you don’t think it’ll happen to you.”

The “When I Call Your Name” singer continues with the story that delivered the life-altering moment for him.

“He goes, ‘I’m having a guitar festival in Dallas, this summer, and I’m only inviting guitar players that I like.'”

Gill goes on, with a slight tremble added to his voice.

“And those words were like the greatest affirmation and greatest validation and all of that stuff to how long I played and tried to play. He saw me for what I really, really was. That was powerful, it gave me once again a newfound confidence.”

Gill continues on what the statement from Clapton meant to him.

“Here’s one of the best musicians ever that thinks I’m decent at this. That was great.”