RSWC #239 Chris Henderson

Riding Shotgun With Charlie
#239
Chris Henderson
MTR Defense
3 Doors Down, Guitarist

 

It's great to have friends who have friends! While I was in Memphis doing a show and staying with Zeke Stout, he asked if I wanted to have the guitarist from 3 Doors Down on the show.Besides being a rock star, he also started and runs MTR Defense, making AR style rifles. How am I going to say no? It was a great day for me. I filmed 3 shows in two states in one day. I went to where Elvis was born and where Johnny Cash was buried. 

 

It started by driving out of his neighborhood, where Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, and Johnny Cash all lived. There was lots to cover. We talk about music and firearms, two of my favorite topics!

 

Henderson traveled around a bit as a kid, but they settled in southern Mississippi. His brother also played and attended my alma mater, Berklee College of Music. Chris wanted to go there, too, but his brother talked him out of it. So he stayed in Escatawpa, Mississippi, and played in all kinds of bands. He also served several years in the Army, Navy and as a Seabee, in the Reserves. This is when he started learning and getting interested in firearms. He was also able to keep practicing and playing guitar. 

 

He's been in 3 Doors Down since 1996, but in 2000, the band really took off with "Kryptonite". Things really changed from playing in clubs with 250-300 people a night to doing much bigger venues. The band really hit it huge for many years, even doing up to 50 gigs a year now. 

 

For his early influences, of course there was Lynyrd Skynyrd. But he also spent a lot of time listening to gospel  and country music. According to him, when you're born in Mississippi, you leave the hospital with a fishing license, a Dale Jr die cast, and a Skynyrd album. As an 18 year old, fresh out of high school, having lots going on, he still made time to practice guitar every day. Without a formal education, he was still able to get a great set of ears and transcribe music. Naturally, this led to writing songs, too. 

 

The conversation really was back and forth. We talked about guns, then music, then back to guns. Some of what he shares is about the process of being a band and who gets credit for writing which part to a song. There's a road story about doing a show in Miami and the transmission of the van just melting and they didn't make the gig. This is when 3DD was just getting recognized. 

 

Around 2016, Chris decided to get into making firearms and selling merch. He joked that it was a hat company that sells rifles. Originally called Middle Tennessee Rifle, he knew there would be pushback from social media, so he decided to call it MTR Defense. They don't make "black rifles", but they have them cerakoted so they're much more colorful. Hillbilly 223 Urban Finishes does the cerakoting for him. MTR also makes a lot of promotional items, like shirts and hats. They made battle mugs and hats for The GLOCK Store. 

 

Besides making AR styles rifles, he said he makes a 50 cal on the AR platform. They do a lot of custom work on many types of firearms. There's a really good selection at the website, linked below. MTR has their FFL and SOT so they can make and sell lots of fun items. He's running a one man shop with a little bit of help. Most of his days, he's up at 4 am heading to the MTR office.

 

When I went to meet Chris at his place, he needed to get cleaned up. His son hung out with me. He asked me if I wanted to see his rifle. Of course I said yes. I got to see his toy AR with a scope on it. We sat on the front steps and he pretended to shoot things in the yard. It was fun. In his down time, Chris takes care of his son and four dogs. When his fiance comes to visit, she's got her four dogs, too. 

Favorite quotes:
"I don't remember not being in this band."
"Chase your dreams. Do it for beer. And see what happens."
"Music comes easy to me. Guns come easy to me. Business does not."
"You forget where you came from. No, I didn't. That's why I'm not there anymore."
"They're there because they're traumatized youth. And they're using the music to heal."

 

MTR Defense
https://mtrdefense.com/

 

MTR Store
https://mtrdefensestore.com/