Pruitt began his career as a pianist, but switched to bass in 1937.
He played briefly in Pittsburgh and worked in the 1940s with Roy Eldridge, the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra, Lucky Millinder, Maxine Sullivan, Cootie Williams, and Mary Lou Williams.
In the 1950s he did some touring, with Earl Hines and the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, but was active mostly as a sideman and session musician for recordings, including with Shorty Baker, Arnett Cobb, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Bill Doggett, Wynonie Harris, Bull Moose Jackson, Roland Kirk, George Shearing, Sahib Shihab, and Hal Singer.
He did a tour in France with Doc Cheatham and Sammy Price in 1975.
With James Brown With Bill Doggett With Neil Sedaka