Editing 3 Doors Down (section)

===Formative years: 1996–1998===
3 Doors Down was formed in 1996<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://utv44.com/news/local/three-doors-down-looks-back-on-20-year-history|title=Three Doors Down looks back on 20-year history|first=Darwin|last=Singleton|date=July 9, 2021|website=WJTC}}</ref> by [[Escatawpa, Mississippi]] natives [[Brad Arnold]] (lead vocals and drums), Matt Roberts (lead guitar and backing vocals), and Todd Harrell (bass guitar). While the trio were walking through the town of [[Foley, Alabama]] during a trip there, they noticed a building where some letters had fallen off its sign, reading "Doors Down". Since the band consisted of three people at the time, they added the "3" to create "3 Doors Down". 

Arnold wrote the band's breakout hit single, "[[Kryptonite (3 Doors Down song)|Kryptonite]]" in high school during math class at age 15.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/3-doors-down-better-life-album-anniversary/|title=24 Years Ago: 3 Doors Down Breakout With 'The Better Life'|first=Chad|last=Childers|date=February 8, 2024|website=Loudwire}}</ref>

The three-piece began to record demo material in 1997.<ref name="3DoorsDownOfficialWebsite">{{cite web |url=http://www.3doorsdown.com/bio.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000815084228/http://www.3doorsdown.com/bio.html |title=3 Doors Down - Meet The Band |archive-date=August 15, 2000 |access-date=September 13, 2024}}</ref> The demo recording sessions took place at the Holly House Recording studio in [[Biloxi, Mississippi]].<ref name="3DDdoc1">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke4KoFyPs5o |title=3 Doors Down - "The Better Life" Mini Documentary (Part 1) |date=February 8, 2021|last=3doorsdown |access-date=September 13, 2024 |via=YouTube}}</ref> The band's demo songs were mixed and recorded by Clyde Holly, with the recordings being released on a self-titled CD in 1997.<!-- The mixing and recording information is printed on the physical demo CD itself. --> 1,000 copies of the demo CD were released initially, with 1,000 more copies being released two years later.<ref name="3DDdoc1" /> When the band gave the CD to local radio station [[WCPR-FM]], they started playing the demo recording of "[[Kryptonite (3 Doors Down song)|Kryptonite]]" and it became the No.&nbsp;1 requested song on the station for over 15 weeks.<ref name="hitquarters.com"/> The station's program director sent the song to manager Phin Daly who in turn showed it to Bill McGathy, his employer at In De Goot Entertainment. 

In 1998, two years after the band formed, Harrell asked rhythm guitarist Chris Henderson, who was previously in a band named Burning Bridges, to join the group.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-vjvIplgrQ |title=3 Doors Down - "The Better Life" Mini Documentary (Part 2) |date=April 2, 2021|last=3doorsdown |access-date=September 13, 2024 |via=YouTube}}</ref> The band was booked in New York to perform a showcase at the [[CBGB]] music club. Daly told [[HitQuarters]]: "Once they got on stage and started playing it was apparent the magic was in the music. So we moved to sign them."<ref name="hitquarters.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.hitquarters.com/index.php3?page=intrview/opar/intrview_Phin_Daly_Interview.html|title=Interview with Phin Daly|publisher=[[HitQuarters]]|date=November 1, 2001|access-date=February 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711171926/http://www.hitquarters.com/index.php3?page=intrview%2Fopar%2Fintrview_Phin_Daly_Interview.html|archive-date=July 11, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>