Well judging by my performance at the Can't Sing ... Will Sing workshop it's not likely to be singing!

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Forty seven years ago as a very shy eight year old, one of my so called friends requested I sing "Happy Birthday" to her. Nothing in that you might say, except this was in front of my entire primary school! I've lived with the scars ever since!

These days my friends are a bit more supportive, so shored up by my arm twist ... I mean confidence boosting props BF1 & BF2 we attempted to lay my musically challenged ghost to rest.

Lots of self esteem enhancing role play and group singing sessions later things were going well, until ... the solo rehearsal!

It soon became clear that my version of Scarborough Fair was radically different from what the pianist was playing. The frisson of shared bafflement that shot between us was almost tangible until a light suddenly dawned in his head and he realised I was attempting the Simon and Garfunkal version while he was playing the traditional folk song!

By this time there was just time for a quick run through before the next vic ... er soloist was summoned.

The previous hours of confidence building now in shreds and blind hysteria about to tip me over the edge, there was only one thing for it! Yes, I took a leaf out of BF1's book and had a liquid dinner.

Amazing how your perceptions change after a few glasses of vino! To be honest I can't remember much of how I performed which was probably just as well! I know there were times when I sounded as if someone had trodden on the cat's tail and once my glasses steamed up so much that I completely lost my place and had to start again! The rest has fortunately been confined to the realm of nightmares!

One other thing I do remember, is being very impressed, by the pianist's ability to do amazing things with his left hand. The crescendo of sound was truly incredible! So incredible in fact that I could barely make out the melody and hopefully no-one else could make out my off-key warbling!

Anyway, by the time our "concert" had finished, things took an upturn. England were in the semis and we adjourned to the bar. We celebrated with a questionable rendition of Swing Low ... which promoted a couple of would-be fiddle players to fetch their guitars and join us for the rest of the evening.

If anyone reading this was at Can't Sing ... Will Sing hope you enjoy the photos. I have a lot more so just email me if you'd like them!

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