History Highlight:

Today in 1970, Mike Doughty was born, making him 55. In 1992, Doughty founded the band Soul Coughing; that band released three successful albums — Ruby Vroom (1994), Irresistible Bliss (1996) and El Oso (1998) — before breaking up in 2000. Doughty then began his career as a solo artist and has since released 11 albums under his name, including 2005’s Haughty Melodic and 2016’s The Heart Watches While the Brain Burns. In addition to that work, Doughty performs as part of the duo Ghost of Vroom with his friend and longtime collaborator Andrew “Scrap” Livingston. In 2024, Soul Coughing reunited for a live tour — their first in 25 years — that culminated in the release of a live album in April 2025. In addition to all of his music-making, Mike Doughty is also a published author: The Book of Drugs, his memoir detailing his work in Soul Coughing and his path to sobriety, came out in 2012; and I Die Each Time I Hear The Sound: A Memoir, a book that describes the evolution of his musical tastes, came out in 2020.

More from The Current

• Studio Session: Mike Doughty performs in studio (2005)
• Studio Session: Mike Doughty performs in The Current studio (2014)
• The Current's Guitar Collection: Mike Doughty, Martin OMC
• Interview: Mike Doughty finds a fresh start in artist-friendly Memphis (2015)
• MicroShow: Mike Doughty performs #MicroShow at the James J. Hill House in St. Paul (2017)

Also, Today In:

1964 - During a recording session at Chess Records in Chicago, The Rolling Stones ran into a couple of their heroes: Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon.

1967 - Bob Dylan and The Band began recording the legendary Basement Tapes in Woodstock, N.Y.

1972 - Sammy Davis Jr started a three week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Candy Man", his only No. 1. The song was taken from the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder.

1975 - Eagles released their fourth studio album, One of These Nights. It features "One of These Nights," "Lyin' Eyes" and "Take It to the Limit."

1976 - Paul McCartney and Wings set a new indoor concert attendance record of 67,100 at the newly-opened Kingdome in Seattle.

1977 - Joe Strummer and Topper Headon from The Clash were each fined £5 ($8.50) by a London court for spray-painting "The Clash" on a wall.

1978 - John Travolta and Olivia Newton John went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "You're The One That I Want."

1983 - Social Distortion released their debut album, Mommy’s Little Monster. It features “Another State of Mind.”

1983 - Stevie Nicks released her second studio album, The Wild Heart. It features “Stand Back,” “If Anyone Falls” and “Nightbird.”

1985 - R.E.M. released their third studio album, Fables of the Reconstruction, featuring singles "Cant Get There from Here," "Driver 8" and "Wendell Gee."

1985 - Talking Heads released their sixth studio album, Little Creatures. It features “And She Was,” “Road to Nowhere,” and “Stay Up Late.”

1985 - Bob Dylan released his 23rd studio album, Empire Burlesque.

1985 - Scritti Politti released their second studio album, Cupid & Psyche 85. It features “Perfect Way.”

1985 - a-ha released their debut studio album, Hunting High and Low. It features "Take On Me," "Love Is Reason," "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.," and "Train of Thought."

1986 - Bob Geldof was awarded an honorary Knighthood for his efforts to raise funds to eradicate famine in Ethiopia. Geldoff's coordination of the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas" in 1984 kicked off a massive awareness of the issue of hunger in Africa (spawning the American response, "We Are The World"), culminating in the Live Aid concerts of 1985.

1988 - Huey Lewis and the News released their fifth studio album, Small World. It features “Perfect World.”

1989 - Bette Midler went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Wind Beneath My Wings", which was included in the film Beaches.

1989 - De La Soul's debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 chart. On the same day, "Me, Myself and I" hit No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

1991 - Siouxsie and the Banshees released their 10th studio album, Superstition. It features “Kiss Them for Me” and “Shadowtime.”

2000 - Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP, featuring "Stan" and "The Real Slim Shady," began an eight-week run at No. 1 in the U.S.

2001 - Radiohead went to No. 1 on the U.K. album chart with Amnesiac. The band's fifth studio album debuted at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and produced three singles, "Pyramid Song," "I Might Be Wrong," and "Knives Out."

2003 - Radiohead released their sixth studio album, Hail to the Thief, in the U.S. It features “There There,” “Go to Sleep,” and “2 + 2 = 5.”

2003 - Fountains of Wayne released Welcome Interstate Managers, their third full-length studio album. The band self-financed the production and recording of the album, eventually signing with S-Curve Records shortly before the release. Welcome Interstate Managers contains the single, “Stacy’s Mom,” which would go on to reach No. 21 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band’s highest-charting hit in the United States.

2003 - Steely Dan released their ninth and final album, Everything Must Go.

2004 - Ray Charles died at age 73. Charles was a pioneer of soul music and was influenced by jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, and country. Frank Sinatra called him "the only true genius in show business". Blind from the age of seven, he didn't let that stop him from achieving massive success with his seven albums and his massive contributions to the racial integration of country and pop music over his lifetime.

2007 - The Rolling Stones played their first U.K. festival in over 30 years when they appeared at the Isle of Wight Festival. The Stones arrived at the Isle of Wight on their own privately chartered ferry for their 200-strong entourage including five Winnebago trailers and a private security team. The Stones' last U.K. festival appearance was at Knebworth Fair in 1976.

2008 - My Morning Jacket released their fifth studio album, Evil Urges. It features "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Pt. 2" and “I’m Amazed.”

2008 - Lil Wayne released his sixth studio album, Tha Carter III. It features “Lollipop” and “A Milli.”

2008 - N.E.R.D. released their third studio album, Seeing Sounds. It features "Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)."

2013 - Beady Eye released their second studio album, BE. It features "Second Bite of the Apple."

2014 - Jack White released his second studio album, Lazaretto.

2016 - Band of Horses released their fifth studio album, Why Are You OK. It features "Casual Party," "In A Drawer" and "Solemn Oath."

2016 - Fitz and the Tantrums released their self-titled third studio album. It features “HandClap.”

2016 - Kaleo released their second studio album, A/B. It features "Way Down We Go" and “I Can’t Go On Without You.”

2016 - Tom Odell released his second studio album, Wrong Crowd. It features the title track and “Magnetised.”

2016 - Rod Stewart was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for services to music and charity. Stewart said, "I've led a wonderful life and have had a tremendous career thanks to the generous support of the great British public. This monumental honor has topped it off and I couldn't ask for anything more."

2017 - Gorillaz staged their first Demon Dayz Festival, which took place at Dreamland amusement park in Margate, Kent, England. Performers included Mavis Staples, De La Soul and Carly Simon, all of whom appeared on their album Humanz.

2020 - Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Flaming Lips performed their tune "Race For The Prize" from inside massive plastic bubbles on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Each audience member was also enclosed in their own bubble to keep the coronavirus at bay.

2021 - Bo Burnham released the soundtrack album Inside (The Songs). It features "All Eyes on Me (Song Only)."

Birthdays:

Chester Burnett (Howlin' Wolf) was born today in 1910.

Judy Garland was born Frances Ethel Gumm in Grand Rapids, Minn., today in 1922. She was just 16 years old when she recorded the iconic song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Before she was a movie star known worldwide for her role as Dorothy in 1939's The Wizard of Oz, she traveled the vaudeville circuit singing with her sisters Mary Jane and Dorothy Virginia as the Gumm Sisters. Frances would adopt the stage name Judy Garland in 1934, inspired by the popular Hoagy Carmichael single "Judy." In addition to her film career, which also included A Star Is Born, Garland became the first woman to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, honoring her 1961 album Judy at Carnegie Hall. She died June 22, 1969, in London, England. In March of 2024, the FBI returned a pair of ruby slippers — once worn by Garland — stolen nearly 20 years ago from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

Bossa Nova pioneer João Gilberto was born today in 1931.

Mickey Jones, drummer for Bob Dylan and Kenny Rogers, was born today in 1941.

Shirley Owens of The Shirelles is 84.

Ernie C, guitarist for Body Count, is 66.

Kim Deal of The Pixies and The Breeders is 64.

Kim Deal's twin sister Kelley Deal of The Breeders is also 64.

Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin is 61.

Joey Santiago of The Pixies is 60.

Emma Anderson of Lush is 58.

Darren Robinson of The Fat Boys was born today in 1967.

Mike Doughty of Soul Coughing is 55.

JoJo Hailey of Jodeci and K-Ci and JoJo is 54.

Faith Evans is 52.

Flesh-n-Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony is 52.

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Paul Shaffer's Day in Rock, Song Facts, Mike Doughty’s website, Jambands.com, and Wikipedia.