A Park Slope guitarist didn’t sell his soul at the crossroads last night, but Donovan Dwyer did blast the blues for a Park Slope bar full of cheering fans — and he’s only 8 years old.
“I love playing guitar,” the pint-side Page said. “I think it’s a great thing to do with your life.”
And fans are happy Dwyer started so young — and, yes, he has regular fans who catch him every week at the Black Horse Pub on Fifth Avenue and 16th Street. Yes, he’s 8 and he’s gigging already.
“It’s extraordinary for that age,” said Matt O’Buck, who has seen Dwyer play several times. “He gets up in front of a crowd with no reservations. He loves it.”
As he does every week, on Wednesday night, Dwyer took the stage to kick off a jam session straight out of Stevie Ray Vaughn’s playbook, and even fell to his knees at one point while hammering out a lick.
The kid began strumming when he was only 5, but that means he’s been playing for more than a third of his life. Oddly enough, Dwyer credits a video game for helping him get started.
“One day I was playing Guitar Hero, and I paused the game and said ‘Dad, I want a real guitar,’ ” he said.
What he got was a blue acoustic, which has already helped him on his way to stardom. The guitar now sits in his bedroom, and bears the signature of a god of the axe-universe — Les Paul — whom Dwyer met last year at one of the legend’s last shows.
“I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “I though it was a dream.”
He’s also rubbed elbows with Bob Dylan and Glenn Hansard of Irish-rockers The Frames. But kiddie Clapton would rather shred than dream of meeting musicians, at least according to his neighbors.
“He plays all day long,” said Carrie Montomery, who was out to show her support for the tyke. “He starts at 7 am on Saturday and Sunday.”
When he grows up, Dwyer unsurprisingly said he wants to be a better guitarist. Let’s hope he remembers who gave him his first media exposure.
Blues Rock Jam at The Black Horse Pub [586 Fifth Ave. between 15th and 16th streets in Park Slope, (718) 788-1975]. Wednesdays, 7–10 pm. Free. For info, visit www.blackhorsebrooklyn.com.
