Born into a musical legacy — her father Larry Brown once played in The Association and Smothers Brothers before joining Engelbert Humperdinck in the ‘80s, and mother Anne-Marie Brown sang with The Babys and Jon Waite — Dominique Pruitt is charting a path of her own with her new EP Praying for Rain. From the deep desert vibes of the title track, to the Nancy Sinatra nods in standout “High in the Valley,” to the tear-in-her-beer, tropical-tinged “Even My Roses Are Blue” (written with her father), Pruitt pays homage to the sounds of her youth while paving her own singular and refreshing trail forward.
Produced and co-written by Joseph Holiday, Praying for Rain trills the universal story of the struggle to follow a dream, set to a stylistic medley of spaghetti western, rockabilly, classic country, and surf rock (with a murder ballad for good measure).
Pruitt’s new EP is out tomorrow, and she took a break from prepping for the release to tell us about her favorite songs, memories — and the one thing she would kill for.
Name a perfect song and tell us why you feel that way.
“Different Drum” by the Stone Poneys. It’s been one of my favorites my whole life — I love the pre-chorus build up, and I love the big chorus. The melody and Linda Ronstadt’s performance are both so great. I’ve been learning to play it on guitar and it’s a fun one to sing.
What’s the best way a fan can support you?
Tell a friend you love a song! Bring a friend to the show or buy them a record! I know it’s tough to get people to listen to new music, so let them know you’re digging someone new and play them something you love. Hopefully it’ll stick with them and we can gain a new fan in them!
Tell us about your favorite show you’ve ever played
I played KCRW’s Mountain Stage in West Virginia which was an AWESOME show, but my favorite part was actually AFTER the show. The crazy talented house band of Mountain Stage took us to their very very divey local bar after, and let us sit in for a set late that night with the bar’s also INCREDIBLE house band. That was the most fun I’ve probably ever had on stage and it was a memory I’ll never forget.
Do you play covers at your shows? Why or Why not?
I love to play covers at my shows! I think fans can always connect with a beloved song from a different artist (as long as it’s not too obscure, of course). A couple I’ve loved to do over the years are “I Smell A Rat” by Big Mama Thornton, and “Ain’t Had No Lovin’” by Connie Smith. The night before the COVID lockdown in March 2020, we were rehearsing for an upcoming show and filmed this one:
Is there a professional “bucket list” item you would love to check off?
I would KILL to work with T Bone Burnett one day. In the next 5 years or so, I hope he will produce a record for me!
Pruitt’s EP Praying For the Rain will be available tomorrow, 7/2.
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