7 Questions With the Dallas Observer's New Staff Writer, Simon Pruitt

Simon Pruitt, only 20, has already built an enviable resume. With thoughtful writing in the arts and cultural landscape, as well as behind-the-scenes experience producing shows and concert series, our new food, music and culture staff reporter has a fresh but expert perspective.

Pruitt has had a strong sense of self since his teenage years, which is when his writing journey began. His appreciation for music shines through his storytelling. With his name behind local venues such as Zounds Sounds B-Sides, as well as the One Time Only concert series, Pruitt has already gained notoriety as a tastemaker for local, independent music.

But as he enters the next phase of his career, Pruitt is excited to get acquainted with his city and spend weekends doing what he already does — rocking out at local shows till the wee hours of the morning. He also looks forward to giving a go at food reporting, and as with his taste in music, the young writer tends to gravitate toward independent, homegrown spots.

We chatted with Pruitt via Zoom weeks before he begins his new role. Landing the ultimate dream job in his 20s was the perfect way for him to begin the holidays. (This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.)



Where did your passion for writing begin?

I used to always write fiction. I was an only child — still am — and so, a lot of time was just spent listening to music and writing stories. I think the first time I ever wrote a proper, like, editorial thing was in high school. I went to Lake Highlands High School, and there was this ring of people who are making counterfeit hall passes to get out of class, right? So the school responded by making the hall passes daily, color-coded, and the color would change each day. But somehow the “hall pass pirates” were able to predict what the next color would be. They had a man on the inside, clearly. I became fascinated with this. Like, best case scenario you get out of class for a minute. But it became this huge, underground ring of selling hall passes.

And so I wrote, like, an investigative piece, trying to undercover who the ringleader of the hall pass pirates was. And then my school paper published it, and I thought that was really fun.

But actually, I first started a blog about basketball when I was 16 … I don't know if I have anything crazy on it, but that was my first proper writing. But the first time I did interviews and stuff was for the hall pass pirate situation.

(Shortly after our conversation, Pruitt messaged me to note that his first professional writing job was with a blog called Music, Movies, & Hoops)

Did you imagine this would turn into a journalism career?

I’ve always wanted to make movies. I still do. I was in film classes, and then I realized I hated using cameras. I hated all the technical stuff about it. I realized when I was like 15 or 16, that what I really like is the story, and I truly love writing.

I never took a journalism class, and I still haven't. I don't really like the term “journalist” — not that it’s a bad thing, but I feel like it sort of implies a type of person that I'm not.

I don't write news — like, I've never written anything that's going to affect your government or anything. I just write weird human interest stuff. I guess I'm technically a journalist, but I never really expected it. I always just wanted to be a writer. I guess that's more what I call myself.

The first time I met you was at Zounds Sounds B-Sides. You were curating a show, and my friend Imani Black and I were doing press and photos. You seem to be very much into music. Did you grow up in band or choir, or any performing art?

No, actually. I've never played an instrument. I've never been in a band, I’ve never sung. I grew up listening to a ton of music. Like I said, it's an only-child thing. Probably the reason I'm a writer is because I was never super collaborative. It was all very insular. So no, I was not in any sort of performing art. I think I was in a play once, but that was the extent of it. I kind of fell backwards into the music thing — the reason Zounds started.

But when I was 17, I rented out the Granada Theater. I put together this concert called “One Time Only” or “OTO” and it was all bands that came from my high school. And I made it this huge thing. I had zero of the dollars I needed to rent it out. So for like, three months, I was going door to door and putting up posters all over the school, just desperately, because I suddenly realized, ‘Oh no, I'm gonna lose thousands of dollars that I don't have. I'm gonna go to jail if people don't come to the show.’ So I got really deep into the weeds of that. I ended up close to breaking even. I don't exactly know the numbers, but it worked out. Hundreds of people came. It was headlined by Pippy Stockham, who's this girl who went to my high school. I don't know where she is now, but through doing that, it launched everything for now. I rehearsed with the bands at [Yoga Art Music] in Lake Highlands, which is owned by Trey and Jen Johnson. Did you know Trey Johnson?

I didn’t know him personally.

He owned State Fair Records, and he was this legendary music teacher guru. I met him, and he took a liking to me. Through the show, I was written about in the Lake Highlands Advocate, and then I had already been writing for the blogs at that point, so I emailed Carol Toler, who wrote about me in the Advocate. I was like, ‘Hey, I also write, you should send this to your boss.’

For some reason she did. I was like, 17, so that's how I got the job at The Advocate. And I got the jobs working in music through Trey, who has since, sadly, passed away [at 53 in February 2022]. He connected me to State Fair Records, which was a local label, and I worked with them, producing shows for a while, and then that sort of led to Zounds as you know it.

In this day and age, what would you say is the best avenue for music discovery?

I think that you discover different types in different ways. Probably a lot of my streaming comes from YouTube. I use Spotify, but I've discovered most of the bands that I've never heard of on YouTube. And YouTube's such a cool resource. I can't believe that it's still free.

But as far as growing a scene and being involved, it's all about the underground shows. That's why I encourage people to go to Zounds or go to house shows. I think Rubber Gloves is a venue that does really well with getting touring acts, but also really hits the local scene. You just gotta find these pockets, because there is a lot of cool stuff in Dallas.

Scenario: It’s Friday night, where can we find you?

If not at a show, at Zounds Sounds B-Side, then probably at another show. Or at a coffee shop. I love coffee shops that are open past 7. I will be your biggest customer if you're open late. So, like, some kind of late-night place where you can get coffee.

It’s late at night and you’re writing a piece. Which coffee house are you working from?
The best late-night place in the world is Arwa Yemeni Coffee. Best place ever. They're open till 11 on weeknights and 1 a.m. on weekends. It’s Yemeni coffee. It's a specialty. The beans are different. I don't know the science behind it, but it tastes different.

And they have this great tea. There's a drink called Adeni tea that I always get. I'm there probably more than I am anywhere else, because it's open so late.

With this new role, you're going to be dabbling in food reporting in addition to music and culture reporting. Where are some of your favorite restaurants in Dallas?

You know, this might change with this role. But I tend to be at super divey kind of places. I tend to gravitate toward those places. Somewhere I really like — and this isn't a dive — but there's this place in Richardson called Tofu Factory that's probably my favorite.

Also, Mario Bros. Tacos is like a haven. That's an asylum for me after shows.

This was a good year for music. Who would you say are some local bands or artists that impressed you this year?

I really like Dezi 5's new album, Dirty Laundry. It's really good, it’s really funky. I love the Rosemont Kings. If you've ever seen them, they’re one of the best bands in town. They’re always a good time. Los Beckleys is probably my favorite local band. They're incredible.