I don't play out these days but when I did cheat sheets were the order of the day. Chords and words.

That band played many covers and it seemed only fair to the audience that the words were right. They often knew the words by heart and would of course here them in their heads. It always jars me when a standard pop song has its words changed by someone who doesn't care if they get it right or not. Traditional folk may be different in this respect.

Almost all frontmen/women (newsreaders, broadcasters, speachmakers) use prompts. The 16k of memory I was issued with back in the fifties means I always use them too.

I admire greatly musicians and singers who can remember dozens of tunes. I never will and do not intend to try, lifes to short and I'd rather play than practise (oops another bone of contention).

Cheers a good thread.

Gary