“It’s definitely fun being a one-man army of small rock,” he said. “After years of touring with two buses and a truck, now being one guy in a rental car makes me feel like I’m actually working out there, which is great.”

And he certainly is working. Doughty serves as musician, tour manager, merchandise salesman, and even driver. He revels in the freedom this independence affords him.

“There’s an emotional center to the songs that isn’t apparent in big bombastic band arrangements, but totally shines when it’s just a voice and guitar,” he said.

As if arranging his own tour didn’t keep him busy enough, Doughty has also been involved in an assortment of other projects. Between recording songs with the likes of They Might Be Giants and dance producer BT, and writing a book of poetry (Slanky), he also continues his post as a columnist/features writer for the New York Press.

He also runs a bulletin board Web site at www.superspecialquestions.com; he is an active participant in the conversations there, which cover a broad range of music and pop culture topics.

Doughty’s 21-date club tour canvasses the States and ends in Rhode Island at the Newport Folk Festival August 5.