Monica Daugherty was born and raised in the Chicagoland area in a musical family. Her father was a DJ who performed alongside several influential ’80s and ’90s Chicago-style house DJs, including Julian “Jumpin’” Perez, Fast Eddie, Bad Boy Bill, and Tim “Spinnin’” Schommer. Much of her early musical inspiration came from time spent at her grandparents’ home, where she developed a strong interest in guitar after years of watching her grandfather play. A lifelong musician, he had been active in numerous bands since the 1960s and shared his passion for music with Monica from an early age.
In 2002, she began formal guitar lessons with her papa, learning songs by The Beatles and Kansas before her parents arranged weekly lessons with a family friend and neighbor every Thursday night at 7 p.m. SHARP.
In 2007, Monica became a drummer almost by accident after she and her father rescued a drum kit from a curb on trash night. They set the kit up in her sister’s bedroom, with her father’s hopes of forming a family band. That plan was short-lived; however, after the release of the video game Rock Band became her true introduction to drumming. After reaching expert level in the game, she moved the salvaged kit into her own room and began playing along to whatever was loaded onto her iPod Shuffle each week.
Throughout high school, she primarily focused on guitar, forming her band, Poindexter, near the end of her junior year. Before any official recordings were made, the group dissolved, ultimately leaving only two members. In 2012, Monica and the remaining member recorded “Case of the Collywobbles”, a 15-track, CD-only release, under the name Next Stop; using a multitrack recorder from the 90s. Monica tracked all of the instrumentation herself, while the last standing bandmate recorded all of the vocals.
In early 2014, shortly after graduating from One Station Unit Training in the U.S. Army, Monica was recruited to play drums for the band Bad Girlfriend, formed by the late, legendary Chicago-area rock promoter, producer, and manager Tony “Shark” LaBarbera. This marked her transition into a full-time live drummer, while guitar gradually became a secondary focus.
In 2018, Monica co-founded the original project, Color Me Amused. The band released their debut EP, Every Season, in 2023; followed by their single “Sentient Beings” in 2024.
Nearing the end of 2025, then operating as a free agent, Monica released her debut EP entitled “Restoration” on her late father’s birthday under the moniker “Dordy,”- a phonetic play on her last name. She paid homage to a few songs from her high school album, but with a different vibe, which gave her the idea it was time she revisited her 2012 album,“Case of the Collywobbles”, re-recording and releasing the album on all major streaming platforms in early 2026. The release gave new life to an album that was over a decade old, featuring a refreshed sound and modern production.
Today, Monica continues to write and record original music while working as a hired gun for various artists.
Monica looks forward to continuing her musical journey, rockin’ Soultone Cymbals along the way.