I remember Margaret, who was a fine singer, telling me that she
suffered terribly from stage nerves and couldn't go on and asked
me if I'd take over as I sang there every week.
Being resident I was like a bear with a sore head all Saturday, worrying if we'd get any floor singers, if the guest would turn up and if we'd get an audience! Also stage nerves too!
There was an unwritten law that the same song would not be sung
twice at a club so I'd have to rehearse 7 to 8 songs in case a floor singer or the guest did a song that I planned to do.
Sometimes an experienced pro or semi-pro would turn up and ask to do a floor spot hoping to get a booking, so as resident I'd have to follow them rather than call up a local who was just beginning, and
do a shanty or comical song to get the level down. All too much hassle in the end!