Mike Dougherty
Mike Dougherty is a guitarist/composer in the Washington, D.C. area who specializes in acoustic steel-string fingerpicking music. His original guitar compositions incorporate many different strains of American music: blues, folk, country, ragtime, jazz, and rock. Syncopated rhythms, melodic content, texture, and space are also present. Overall, simplicity is the driving force behind the compositions.
Mike's musical background can only be described as diverse and eclectic. He has evolved from folk strummer, to electric blues-rocker, to acoustic roots musician, to instrumental fingerpicker and slide guitarist. Mike studied privately for years with several excellent local teachers, and studied fingerpicking and slide with Steve James and Jorma Kaukonen. As a performer Mike has played private parties, weddings, clubs and restaurants, festival and city functions, and coffeehouses.
Mike's first CD, BETTER SLOW DOWN(2005), is a collection of eight original compositions for solo acoustic guitar. It was recorded entirely live with no overdubs.
Mike's influences include John Fahey, Jorma Kaukonen, Leo Kottke, Peter Lang, John Hurt, Robert Johnson, Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Merle Travis, Doc Watson, Chet Atkins, and many, many others.