3 Doors Down, courtesy.

Rock bands dream of creating an album that’s remembered long after its creation, let alone a career that spans decades. Guitarist Chris Henderson of 3 Doors Down knows his band’s success is the exception, not the rule.

“When you get in the music industry, there’s no shortage of people [who] will tell you how how lucky you are and how hard it is to have a career in music business,” Henderson aid. “It’s harder, I think, to have a career in music business, then it is to be an NFL player. It’s really difficult.”

On the road, 3 Doors Down are a few dates into their pandemic-delayed tour celebrating 20th anniversary debut album The Better Life.

“You have a lot of feelings that you’re going to be done real soon, and that this might be your last show,” Henderson said. “It’s like playing the last high school football game. You never know which one’s gonna be your last.”

With “Kryptonite” and “Be Like That,” The Better Life has sold more than 7 million units in the United States for the band from the Deep South. A few shows into the band’s current tour with Seether, this tour feels different for Henderson.

“It almost feels like the band’s breaking again,” he said. “The crowds are different, man, everyone’s been so excited about loud music.”

The band plays its debut front to back before closing out with a string of hits. Henderson said 3 Doors Down haven’t played at least a couple of these songs, “Smack” and “By My Side,” since recording them in the late ’90s.

“Those were fun to go back to, learn those solos again … and not being able to remember exactly what part was mine,” he said.

Henderson and vocalist Brad Arnold are both original members, while former Puddle of Mudd drummer Greg Upchruch joined soon after forming. Guitarist Chet Roberts and bassist Justin Biltonen joined the group in 2012 and 2013.

Henderson said he he still remembers the specific ah-ha moment that the music was catching on. While 3 Doors Down was still playing the bar circuit, two major radio stations in Boston put their songs in heavy rotation. The airplay made all the difference, especially when the band showed up to play an outdoor gig in the city.

“You would have thought the Beatles were there, man,” he said. “There are girls throwing notes at the bus and people throwing phone numbers at us, it was crazy pills.”

Beyond the tour, 3 Doors Down released a remastered The Better Life box set, with bonus tracks. Henderson, who’ also a producer, said he still goes back and listens to the original demos to remember how the band sounded and how the tracks were recorded.

“I’m blown away by how good it still sounds after all these years,” he said.

More than the music, it’s the old photos from practices, buses and a tour in Europe that bring Henderson back to the beginning. He said he realizes that his children are now the same age as he was back then.

“This tour is supposed to bring people back to the year 2000, … to their first girlfriend of their high school,” he said.

Henderson chalks this form of nostalgia for 3 Doors Down’s longevity. The band’s music resonates lyrically in a way that brings listeners back to sitting in their bedrooms at 17, listening to the stereo.

Through more than two decades, which were weren’t always filled with success, 3 Doors Down didn’t give up, coming back time after time

“It’s the love of the game, man,” Henderson said. “It’s the love of the music.”

Follow writer Mike DeWald at Twitter.com/mike_dewald.