Most people in Hendersonville know Matthew Rogers as the longtime owner of Three Chopt Sandwich Shoppe, a Main Street institution he purchased in 1990 after years working in the restaurant industry. What fewer people know is that Rogers also spends part of each summer standing on the field at one of baseball’s most storied franchises, singing the national anthem before thousands of fans.

This past June, Rogers performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Great American Ball Park, the home of the Cincinnati Reds. His performance was the continuation of a tradition that began in 2018 and has become one of the most meaningful hobbies in his life.

“When I came out of my mother's womb,” he said with a laugh when asked when he started singing. “I would always sing in the house. I was always singing to her. I sang in church choirs.”

His talent was recognized early. In elementary school, music teachers regularly pushed him into lead roles. Despite his love of music, Rogers never pursued singing professionally. Instead, he followed a different path, eventually becoming a restaurant owner. Singing remained something he did because he enjoyed it.

Rogers has been a Reds fan since childhood, growing up going to ball games with his father. One day, Rogers met Reds owner Bob Castellini and took the opportunity to ask if he could sing the national anthem. Castellini agreed.

“I was so thrilled, but I was afraid of doing it by myself,” he said. He invited two friends to do it with him. “That was wonderful. 
We all went up and we were thrilled to do this together.”

The following year, he returned solo. Since then, he has become a regular fixture at Reds games, even performing “O Canada” when the Toronto Blue Jays visited Cincinnati. He has also sung at a game for the Chicago Cubs, whose organization once employed his grandfather.

Each year, when Rogers sings, he purchases 100 tickets to the game for children and families connected to Boys & Girls Clubs programs, creating memorable experiences for young fans.

“I'm going to do it until I die,” he said. 

That desire to create meaningful moments for others mirrors the philosophy that has guided his business career. At Three Chopt, Rogers is known for remembering customers, checking in on their lives and looking for ways to brighten someone's day—with a cookie, a soda, a baseball, a historical fact or simply a smile. 

“To me, that's why it's cool to be in the restaurant,” he said. “You can make somebody's day.”

Rogers believes hobbies and interests outside of work are essential for both personal happiness and professional success.

“My dad gave me that advice,” he said. “Please get involved with activities so that you are well rounded, and that you have life, you experience it.”

He encourages his employees to think about goals beyond work.

“I constantly ask my employees, ‘What's your goal? What's your one-month goal? What's your six-month goal in life?’” Rogers said. “Learn to play guitar. Have a garden this year. Climb to the top of Mount Pisgah.”

For business owners especially, Rogers believes outside interests help prevent burnout.

“In business, if you're concentrating on that 24 hours, it's gonna make your business not be the best,” he said. “Your business is gonna be the best when you can do hobbies after work, clear your mind.”

Looking back over more than three decades as a business owner, he credits those experiences outside the restaurant — travel, church activities, community involvement and singing — with helping him become a better leader. It took him many years to take his first vacation from work, but as soon as he did, he realized how important it was. 

“I came back, and I was a better person. I was a better boss,” Rogers said. “Vacations recharge your battery.”

Today, whether he's handing a young customer a baseball, leading diners in a rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” or preparing to sing before thousands of Reds fans, Rogers continues to embrace his father's lesson about living a well-rounded life.

“If you want to be happy for a lifetime,” he said, “the sooner you learn to serve others and help others ... the better.”