Wynonna Judd Says Husband Cactus Is the 'Most Tough and Tender Man' She's Ever Met: 'Trust Him with My Life'

As she continues to grieve the loss of her mother Naomi, Wynonna Judd has a solid support system to lean on — with none more supportive than her husband.

Judd, 58, opens up to PEOPLE in this week's issue about her special bond with Cactus Moser, 65, whom she married in 2012 after decades of friendship.

"He's the most tough and tender man I've ever been with that I trust," she says. "We are so connected. It's crazy how connected we are. I trust him with my life, which, I can't always say that about men in my life."

Judd, who kicked off The Judds: The Final Tour on Sept. 30, was married twice before she and Moser started dating in late 2009. They were engaged on Christmas Eve 2011, and it seems the third time's the charm, as the "Why Not Me" singer says the drummer is the reason she continues to feel hope.

"He will take me by my hands and say, 'Honey, you've done your best.' And I start to cry," says Judd. "And he's right. I've done my best. He helps me to give myself a break, because I'll try to be really eloquent or I'll try to say something brilliant or try to come up with the right answer and he'll say, 'Honey? Stop. Take a breath.'"

For Judd, having the drummer on hand to talk her down has provided a world of relief, especially in the wake of her mother's death in April.

"Sometimes I just need to stop and take a breath," she says. "I'm so hard on myself. I was always taught to do it better, do it better, do it better. And sometimes he'll say, 'Honey, your best is good enough.'"

The pair first met while touring together in the 1980s (he was the drummer for Highway 101), and rekindled their bond decades later. Their ability to stick by one another's side is nothing new; in August 2012, just months after their wedding, Moser was injured in a motorcycle accident and had his left leg amputated above the knee. At the time, Judd called her husband a "champion," and said she would not "leave his side."

As she heads out on her arena tour, Judd is also making room for another love in her life: granddaughter Kaliyah, who was born just two weeks before Naomi's death.

Watch the full episode of People Cover Story: Wynonna Judd below or on the PeopleTV app.

"Somebody said, 'Are you angry?' I said, 'Hell yeah, I'm angry. My granddaughter was born 12 days before she left. I have anger,'" recalls Judd, who is mom to 26-year-old daughter Grace — mother of Kaliyah, 6 months — and son Elijah, 27, with first husband Arch Kelley III. "But then I realized… that there's some real joy there and to celebrate the joy as much as I can. That's part of the reason I'm doing the tour."

Judd will stay on the road through Oct. 29, and has recruited country stars like Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Brandi Carlile, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde and Trisha Yearwood to join her.

"I am humbled, once again, by the loyalty of the fans who have been with us for 38+ years, who continue to show up for me when I need them the most," Wynonna said in a statement in May. "I am grateful that we will continue to honor The Judds legacy, together."

For all the details on Wynonna Judd's journey through grief, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.