Arts & EntertainmentMusic

The Proof Is in the Pruitt

Houston indie goddess.
by Megan Smith

From her early musical beginnings as a fifth-grade clarinet player, local indie pop and soul artist Cindy Pruitt knew she would one day make it to rock stardom.

Pruitt, best known for her role in Houston’s all-girl band Fluff the Kat, is hardly your average singer-songwriter. Her vocals and guitar sound are raw and pure, with none of the digital effects that have become all too popular in today’s pop music scene. Don’t think that makes her bland, though. While performing, Pruitt uses a loop pedal and other techniques to create an all-out one-woman show.

She has recently released a four-track EP sampler as a preview to her upcoming album. Each song is laced with a smooth 1960s and ’70s flare, which probably comes from listening to her mom’s records as a child. The two would play these records over and over, taking turns singing backup vocals. “I started hitting the open mics around Houston and started writing songs soon after,” Pruitt says in an interview with the Houston Press. “I was very fortunate to make lots of incredibly talented friends along the way and I would soak up anything they cared to share, from advice to new riffs.”

The EP’s standout track, “Epiphany,” is currently nominated for Best Local Song for the Houston Press Music Awards. Pruitt herself is also nominated for Best Female Vocals and Best Songwriter.

When she’s not busy performing solo or with Fluff the Kat, Pruitt is also an accomplished music engineer and producer at her Montrose studio, Smiley Face Records. She was even named one of the top five music producers in the city by CBS Houston in 2013.

In addition to her profound passion for music, Pruitt also has a deep love for the LGBT community, with a previous solo performance at the 2008 Houston Pride Festival and group performances with Fluff the Kat at the 2009 and 2010 festivals. “As the ‘honorary lesbian’ in my cover band, Fluff the Kat, I have a tremendous gratitude and affection for the gay community, which has been exceptionally supportive of my music,” she tells the Houston Press.

Pruitt’s EP sampler is available for download through her website, cindypruitt.com.

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Megan Smith

Megan Smith is the Assistant Editor for OutSmart Magazine.

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