Last night I sang at the Sun Inn, home of the Stockton Folk Club! It was a singaround night there. Joy was the MC for the night - she and her husband are early retirees and sing together professionally on a part-time basis - they give all of their booking fees to help guide dogs for the blind. They have excellent voices and are some of the nicest people that I have encountered in the folk song world. So it was nice for me that Joy was organising the singers for the evening as she is very sympathetic to nervous beginners.
I am classed as a beginner for singing. That is in spite of having experience when I was younger. However, I didn't sing for many years due to ill-health. It has meant that I have had to start from the beginning again and learn all of the material from scratch, just like a novice. And I was extremely nervous. Just as much as a novice, maybe more so, as coming back after a long time away is extremely stressful.
I opted to sit in my seat and sing from there rather than go and stand at the front. That's perfectly acceptable in the informal setting of a singaround. I also had my words laid out on the table in front of me. That's not something that I normally do, and only complete beginners do that. However, I was very nervous and I simply wanted to get this initial sing over with, with hopefully as few errors as possible.
I sang a couple of songs. The first, "The Wild Mountain Thyme" went very well indeed. I was hesitant on the first two or three notes but fine after that. Joy then asked me if I'd like to do another song, so I said Yes, and sang "Martin said to his man". I had one error in that, but recovered quickly and simply went into the closing sequence.
They were both chorus songs, and plenty of people joined in. I got a good round of applause. Joy is expecting me to sing most weeks now! I've told her that I have one already chosen for next week! I had a very pleasant family (husband, wife and son) sitting next to me, and they were very complimentary about my singing - they ended up giving me a lift home.
I was sad that I had to have my words close at hand, but I didn't use them very much, and my voice sounded pretty much all right.
I've found another folk club locally that I can go to (that will make three a week...) and am looking forward to some good folk singing events this year so that I can sing at all the singarounds!!!
Tra la la tra la la tra la la tra la la la...
/act Diane strikes a suitable operatic pose with bosom heaving
I sang at Stockton Folk Club!
Wow Diane..you have so many talents !! I enjoy singing too, but I 'm far away from that level you are. I 'm so glad you enjoy it so much and that you manage to keep your spirits in top. I 've read in your other postings about your reverse in health and jobs. Well done...my compliments !
Thank you Saya. This was a very emotional event for me. I used to be a very keen singer when I was younger but had a lengthy period when I didn't sing owing to health problems. There was a time, a very long time, when I thought that I'd never sing in a folk club again. It has been very traumatic getting up and singing again. My voice is still good (I had voice problems when I was ill). Now to learn my repertoire all over again!
Good for you Diane. It's lovely to here you getting back to being yooohoooo LOL :o)
Well done for overcoming the huge hurdle. Now you can relax and enjoy.......
Thank you Philomel. I'm off to another folk club tonight, over at Guisborough, and on Sunday night a friend has suggested that I go with her to the monthly folk club at Stokesley. My brain is going to get dizzy taking in all these new environments! Woo hoo!!!
Oh that's great, hope they're both really good fun and enjoyable
Thank you! I'm just away off to wash my hair for tonight. I don't want to perform at tonight's one - it's on every week so there is no rush - I like to just sit if I can for the first time at a club and absorb its atmosphere, just chilling out. Tonight they have a guest, and a good one at that! I'm off to enjoy myself!!