His style is free-flowing and improvisational, drawing from the blues, folk, world music and jazz-swing standards.

Due to his disability, (a Spinal Injury caused by a road accident in 1974), Tom has developed a new and unique approach and method of playing his instrument.

In 2014 and again in 2018, Tom Doughty embarked on a teaching and instructional tour of the UK spinal injuries centres.

Realising that he was probably the only practising professional lap steel guitar player with a high, cervical, spinal injury, Tom had formed the belief that finding new ways to develop dexterity and balance great assets to people with such injuries and that the benefits to participation and integration of playing an instrument were enormous.

Help with funding that all came from the UK arts Council, the music industry, the British Paraorchestra, Yamaha and Takamine, who provided guitars and the charity Creative United.