I have a similar story to Uncle Tone. Almost five years ago I was diagnosed with Parkinson's. Up to that point I was happily singing from memory, and had a repertoire of over 100 songs that I could perform. On one occasion I was in France, at one of Martyn Wyndham-Read's folk weeks, and a group was singing out doors. As it got dark people dropped out, until there were only two of us able to continue.

Unfortunately around last Christmas the effects of this disease began to make themselves felt. I have stopped driving, and therefore stopped going to clubs and places where I used to sing. My memory has holes in it, where words just suddenly vanish. They usually come back, but up to a day later, and my voice is getting very creaky. Whether it will come back remains to be seen, so those of you who still have a voice, make the most of it. If you need a sheet as an aide de memoire that's fine by me, but if you get lost in your sheet you need more practice before you perform.