Mar 17, 2026
Let me start by saying, Nashville never disappoints!
The energy, the people, the bands, the Honky Tonks, the food, the bicycle bars, all of it.
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Every time I go there I’m exhausted when I get home, but somehow energized to do more.
This time was no different.
We were in town filming an episode of Unbreakable, our documentary series that can be seen on Amazon Prime, Tubi, and Spark TV, featuring Chet Roberts, the guitarist for 3 Doors Down.
Chet has become a dear friend and was scheduled to perform as a (wait for it....) standup comedian!
I told him I was nervous for him.
I wondered, could the rocker from 3 Doors Down who has performed in front of hundreds of thousands of people actually do comedy on a small stage and an intimate setting like a comedy club?
The answer was an emphatic YES!
Two shows at Jon Bon Jovi’s venue on Broadway—and he crushed both performances.
Chet is the very definition of chill.
He’s fun to be around and sees humor in just about everything.
However, on this day, he had to walk a very real tightrope—addressing the elephant in the room with honesty and heart, acknowledging the recent loss of Brad Arnold, his friend and former lead singer of 3 Doors Down.
He honored Brad in a way that genuinely moved him and everyone in the crowd.
Pure class.
Then, somehow, he seamlessly pivoted right back into comedy.
I can’t imagine how difficult that was to do.
And then there was this.
During his performance, he kept repeating a word that may have already inadvertently coined his own catchphrase.
If you every see him on stage, you’ll no doubt hear him say, “ANYYYHOWWW…” in his distinct Southern drawl.
Just know—it’s coming.
The people who attended this Monsters of Rock comedy show were everyday people and a who’s who of folks from the music and entertainment industry.
Every comedian on stage that day proved their metal.
Some more advanced than others, but everyone left the crowd laughing.
I had the chance to spend time with Justin Biltonen, the bassist for 3 Doors Down, one of the most humble and engaging people you’ll ever meet. He came to the show to simply show his support for his former bandmate.
Justin still performs and tours today but, like Chet, he too has been pursuing ventures outside the music industry.
He is channeling that same creative energy into incredible looking handcrafted jewelry through Sacred West Silver.
https://www.sacredwestsilver.com/
Then there’s John Billings—rocking his That Metal Show shirt—laying down bass lines while comedians took the stage.
John is a veteran touring bass player who notably played with Donna Summer for many years.
He has also played or toured with The Monkees (and Micky Dolenz individually), Wynonna Judd, Rick Springfield, Patti LaBelle, Lita Ford, and Paul Anka, among others.
He and his wife Amy have also built something of their own with Nashville Jam Session, a fabulously cool retail shop right inside the Nashville airport.
We also enjoyed a beverage and had a long chat with Raelyn Nelson (yes—Willie Nelson’s granddaughter).
Off stage she’s humble, kind, unassuming with “girl next door” vibes.
She has a funny joke about her famous grandpa but we’ll leave that one right there. Suffice it say, it was her best line of the night!
Raelyn and her band are on tour (https://www.raelynnelsonband.com/)
but on her off days you might just catch her trying this comedy thing as well.
These are just a few of the folks who intentionally came out to support Chet and company on Sunday.
One woman, Tracey Nauman (https://www.instagram.com/tracey_nauman/), the hair stylist for virtually every big name 80’s hair band rocker on the planet, drove to Nashville from Maryland to make sure Chet’s hair was just right. This is her below as a teenager rocking her Cinderella jacket. A band that would later become her client.
That’s who she is.
That’s what Chet means to his friends.
The night ended with dinner, drinks, and getting to know an incredible mix of other comedians, artists, & tour managers, who live life like the cow that ran out the open gate.
And that’s really my takeaway.
These people live life.
They lift each other up, root for each other’s success, and are unafraid to fail.
From the outside, it’s easy to label them as “rock stars” or “artists.”
But what I saw was talented, kind people who attack life like it could end tomorrow.
They don’t question too much or dwell on the “what ifs.”
They just keep evolving, creating, and pushing forward.
In the wake of losing Brad Arnold, the band 3 Doors Down faces an uncertain road ahead.
But what’s clear is the spirit of the community around them is fierce and as tight knight and supportive as the day is long.
They are all doing what I hope everyone does at some point in life.
Just go for it.
As Bog Seger once wrote, Turn the Page.
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