Hallo Julie - I've just discovered this chat line and I can say unequivocallky that Ihave never had anything do do with them at all thuus far; however this looks fun!!

I am a resident singer in a club in the south of England and sing most weeks. I still get nervous after 25 years of singing but I stress nervous rather than terrified. If I am not nersous then thatis the time to worry - it helps you concentrate. I have done my fair share of forgetting words - usually when I haven't prepared well enough and am distracted by stuff going on either around or more often by my own thoughts

However - for what it's worth a few hints... this is so obvious but...practice the song until you are familiar with it - then practice until you know it inside out - the practice it until you are almosr fed up with it. Get "inside" the song,play around with phrasing and timing until you feel 110% comfortable with it. Then if at all possible sing it to a friend at home / ( maybe not the daughter?!) not for appraisal but so that you get used to the pit falls of performing a song in public. ( You will never sing it on a stage as well as you think you can in practise!) Remember the guests you see sing almost every night and have long since lost their nerves. And if they do forget they just busk it, smile and go on to the next song. For a floor singer the stakes seem rather higher when you're up there.

As some one else said choose a strong and simple song to start with - not necessarily a chorus song but by heck it's a great thrill to have the audience thundering along with you.

Remember - 2 things - the audience WANT you to do well. They are with you always. Equally as important, if I know anyhing about folk club audiences, they want to be entertained - not impressed. And they will be entertained much more by a simple song well sung by an (aparently!) confident singer than a warbling terrified jelly ! Keep it simple, keep it strong, smile and enjoy it!!

Dooley