Wilfred, what can I say? A less trusting soul than myself might wonder whether you have embellished the tale a tad. Not me, though; being a folkie, I'll believe anything.

Like Don, my worst is "blanking". I sang at the opening of an academic institution in my home town many years ago. Until then, I had only sung in smokey folk clubs in front of up to 50 of my peers. Suddenly, I was in front of 200 (or thereabouts) of snappily-dressed upper crust ... and I got stage fright, and froze. I had picked songs (three) which I knew back the front and sideways, and I suddenly couldn't remember the words to any of them. Fortunately, a good (performer) friend jumped up on stage, and bailed me out by telling everyone that I'd had a hard night on the cider, and was not at my best. There was a kernel of truth in this, but the real cause was, of course, a huge feeling of inadequacy.

If not for that experience, I may have been a superstar by now ... or not ...

Shimbo