Confidence is very important. My wife is an excellent singer, has sung in choirs in college, with the symphony, etc. She also nearly destroyed my confidence early on when I started attempting to sing with my guitar for family and friends. I think she was embarrassed when I was off key. To this day I have a hard time singing when I know she is listening. My cousin, on the other hand, who is also a great singer, has always tried to boost my confidence and compliment me on my progress. We have performed together a few times and I have sung lead on some of the songs we've done, even with an audience. I'm an over-inhibited white Anglo-Saxon male and it takes a heap of confidence to overcome the inhibitions that bind up my tongue and vocal chords.