Dierks Bentley and Luke Bryan Feel Like Brothers

After several successful years as “Bluke,” Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton have parted ways as co-hosts of the ACM Awards. Stepping into Shelton’s spot is Dierks Bentley, thus creating Duke… or Lierks?

For the two, who have been friends since meeting as up-and-comers in 2005, hosting together is somewhat like a family gathering.

“I feel like he’s a brother in a lot of ways,” Bentley told PEOPLE.

“We’d spend hours on the bus playing songs and we just had a great time,” Bryan added of his days opening for Bentley on tour in 2008. “We trashed a couple of backstage areas.”

Shared Bentley, “I showed this guy how to throw a backstage party!”

Bryan and Bentley will co-host the 51st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards this Sunday, April 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The show will air live at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.