Matt Roberts, the longtime guitarist of 3 Doors Down, was found dead early Saturday morning in a hotel outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He died at 38, apparently because of a drug overdose. However, the results of the autopsy haven’t been released.
Matt Roberts, was an original member and the lead guitarist from the American Rock band, 3 Doors Down since 1996 until 2012 when he retired because of health and circulation issues. It was reported that Roberts had been rehearsing for a fundraising concert for veterans in Wisconsin when he went back to the hotel alongside his father, Darrell Roberts. Around seven a.m., the West Bend Police was called to the place because of a man who appeared to be asleep or passed out in the hallway of the hotel.
“I was awakened at 8:50 this morning by some detectives beating on my door. It’s always scary as a parent, they were in suits and that’s when they told me. They asked me if Matt Roberts was your son, I said yes, and they said ‘we have bad news to tell you, Matt deceased last night”, informed Darrell Roberts.
Matt’s legacy continues in fans
In 1996, Roberts alongside singer Brad Arnold and bassist Todd Harrell formed 3 Doors Down in Escatawpa, Mississippi. This rock band had many hits. Undoubtedly the biggest one was the “Kryptonite” single which was co-written by Roberts and released four years later. Kryptonite reached the third position on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for a Grammy Music Award. 2000’s The Better Life, was the first in a string of Hot 100-reaching singles, including “Be Like That,” “Here Without You” and “When I’m Gone”. In 2002, their album “Away from the Sun” reached multiplatinum. After that, the band reached the Billboard 200 twice with Seventeen Days (2005) and 3 Doors Down (2008). 2011’s “Time of my Life” was the last album released by the original members of the band since Harrell was fired from the band after he was charged with vehicular manslaughter in 2013.
Roberts retired from the band in May 2012, saying that after performing nearly 300 shows yearly, being in the band had worsened the circulation issues he had been dealing with.
“3 Doors Down will always have a special place in my heart and it saddens me to take this time off, ” said he in his retirement statement.
Matt suffered greatly from anxiety
According to Matt Robert’s father Darrell, his son had a prescription drug addiction and suffered “greatly from anxiety.” But he thought Matt had beaten it already. According to some sources, the cause of death is drug overdose; however, the autopsy was to be conducted on Sunday. The Police Department stated that there were no signs of trauma when he was found. Therefore the autopsy will verify the cause of death.
Source: Rolling Stones