After joining forces for a performance on CMT Crossroads, Chris Janson and Bret Michaels of Poison have not only found a love of performing together but a lifelong friendship as well.

Janson and Michaels could be seen rocking out together in a December episiode of CMT Crossroads where they performed hit songs from both of their catalogs including "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," "Buy Me A Boat" and more. Turns out that performance marked the first of many for the new friends as Michaels recently announced Janson will be joining him on his 'Parti-Gras 2.0' Tour with other guests Don Feeder, Dee Snider and Lou Gramm. 

“I don’t know that there’s any person out there — musically, personally — who has literally aligned like a brother to me, like a blood brother,” Janson told Audacy’s Rob + Holly of the immediate connection him and Michaels formed. “We see pretty much everything eye to eye and he’s one of my best buddies.”

The connection was instant and very apparent for both musicians as Chris recalls talking on the phone for three hours and seven minutes with Michales while running errands for his farm.

“I’ve never been on the phone with anybody besides my wife longer than an hour, maybe, and that’s pushing’ it,” Janson said. “I was in the Co Op parking lot — I was picking up deer corn and stuff for the farm… we hopped on the phone and we talked for three hours and seven minutes and it went by like that. It was like a Stepbrothers moment — are we best friends?”

The new friends are sure to make plenty more memories together on tour this summer. “He treats me well, he treats everybody well. I’ve never met an artist that actually treats people the way he says and does and he walks it like he talks it — ain’t no doubt about that,” concluded Chris. “It’s going to be a totally bombastically good tour.”

For more from Janson about the tour, getting his start in music, love of the great outdoors, check out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly