Hi Susan-Marie and Mudders It's called the "Confidence Game", and without confidence, you will likely be shaken and nervious reguardless of the size or who your audience is. Memory work is the key to your sucess of performing, if you can't memomrize your material then use a "cheat sheet" and sing it out. Practice a song until you know it by heart, and play it with your instrument as you practice, that will also allow you to sharpen your musical skills and the memory work and will be less tedious. Another hurdle and possibly the hardest is the live performance in front of a real audience.Go find an "Open Mic" or a " Song Circle" and practice the craft of performing.You must listen close to the other participants because it's there you pick up little tricks of the trade.Do't go there just for the sake of hearing yourself. Share what you have but part of that sharing is being equally interested it what the other folks are sharing Oh! You can't find one, then start one.Coffee shops,book stores,libraries and homes is really begging for the opportunity to bring in people who play and sing. Everyone has had to overcome the stage fright hurdle , how they did it might be a little different but most important of all is, don't give up. Keep going until you conquer the little rascal. Confidence is re-inforced by knowing your material. You conquer stage fright and you've conquered the world. Good Luck Jack