Travelling in the car with dad Kevin McCal-lion – former head coach of Halifax Rugby Union Club and now deputy head at Brooksbank School, Elland – Paddy grew to know and enjoy some of the tracks he heard played by artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash and Johnny Earle.
As his enthusiasm and musical knowledge grew, he began to sing and play his guitar to a wider audience than family and friends.
And it was while Paddy, now 14, of Savile Park, Halifax, was playing an acoustic session at the Murgatroyd Arms pub in Skircoat Green Road, Halifax, that he was spotted by a representative of Manchester radio station Key 103. He was invited to the station for an audition and next week will be playing his biggest gig yet at the City of Manchester Stadium, when he will join a host of established bands and musicians aiming to raise thousands of pounds to help disadvantaged children in the city.
The annual Jingle Ball organised by Key 103 takes place on Wednesday afternoon in an external marquee within the confines of the stadium, which hosted the 2002 Commonwealth Games and is now home to Manchester City Football Club.
Hundreds of people will attend the sell-out event and although the radio station is keen to keep the names of the acts under wraps, million-selling R 'n' B act Lemar has confirmed his attendance on his own website.
The first Jingle Ball in 2006 starred Tony Christie, X Factor fav-ourite Andy Abraham, ex-Atomic Kitten Liz McClarnon and Coro-nation Street actress Tupele Dorgu, who plays knicker-stitcher Kelly Crabtree in the Manchester-based soap.
The event raised thousands of pounds for the radio station's charity Manchester Kids, later renamed Cash for Kids.
At last year's event pop acts including Wet, Wet, Wet, Gabrielle, Craig David and Scouting for Girls took to the stage, with the event – including a raffle, auction and sale of calendars – raising £16,920 for underprivileged children across Greater Manchester.
Paddy's whirlwind propulsion to share the stage with big-name acts follows his involvement in the Live 'Eath charity rock concert at Heath Rugby Union Club, Halifax, in the summer.
The event raised money for Friends of Ravenscliffe High, Calderdale's only specialist secondary school for children with learning difficulties.
Proud dad Kevin says: "He has taught himself to play guitar and started off supporting a number of local bands like Belt of the Celts, My Brother Jake and Both Barrels. They have all been very helpful. Paddy is picking up quite a strong following at local venues.
"The Jingle Ball is such a popular event and has grown out of all recognition.
"He's very excited about it but he's very level-headed and he's rehearsing hard."
Paddy, a pupil at North Halifax Grammar School, said: "I'm really looking forward to it.
"Although I like Johnny Cash, I'm also into bands like Scouting for Girls."
He hopes to sing the band's hit She's So Lovely and also Same Jeans by The View at the Jingle Ball, which his dad, mum Gabrielle and sister Roisin have been invited to attend.
Roisin, 12, plays the piano and the clarinet. Both she and Paddy are members of Halifax Light Opera Society Juniors and will be appearing in the society's production of 42nd Street at The Playhouse, King Cross Street, Halifax, in February.
In between these events, Paddy won't be resting on his laurels. A festive follow-on event to Live 'Eath, the aptly-named Pudstock, will be held at Arden Road Social Club, Halifax on Saturday, December 20 and he and other musicians will again be raising money for Ravenscliffe High.
Other local gigs include a return to the Murgatroyd Arms on New Year's Eve.
Pam Armstrong-Bond, business partner with John Schofield at the Murgatroyd, said: "Paddy and his dad came in and we said we were starting an acoustic night, so we just booked him. He's really good for his age."