Pulse: A&E: Local Talent: Patrick Droney

The day after our interview, 14-year-old Patrick Droney got his braces off. And like any teen, he has a MySpace page. Those accessories of modern adolescence, however, are where the typical-teen ends with Droney. “I don’t do as much of the normal stuff 14-year-olds do, but that’s okay,” he says. “I’d rather be playing guitar.” Guidance counselors needn’t be alarmed. Seven years after he started playing, Droney has already opened shows for music legends James Brown and Robert Lockwood Jr. When Droney was just 11, B.B. King dubbed him “The Kid.” Not bad for a ninth-grade honor student at St. Augustine Prep.

Originally from Lancaster, Droney now lives in Linwood, New Jersey, in a house that features a studio where he can play some of his 70 guitars. His music combines blues and rock — he likes to call it “power blues,” with the emphasis on power. “You’re gonna see a show for the eyes and ears,” Droney, whose debut CD comes out later this year, says of his live performances. “I’ll start going on the harmonica, then jump in the crowd with a wireless guitar.” You can see for yourself when “The Kid” opens for B.B. King at the House of Blues in Atlantic City on February 24th.