Brianna Lea Pruett facts for kids

Brianna Lea Pruett (born January 18, 1983 – died September 2, 2015) was a talented American artist. She was a singer, songwriter, musician, painter, poet, and filmmaker. Brianna created many different kinds of art during her life.

Brianna's Early Life and Family Roots

Brianna Lea Pruett was born in Sacramento, California. Her family lived on a ranch in Northern California. They built it with other family members in the 1970s. In 1989, her family moved to Sacramento. Brianna went to public schools there. She moved many times after her parents divorced and remarried.

Her Family Background

Brianna was a second-generation Californian. This means her parents were born in California. Her mom's grandparents were European settlers. Her dad's family had Native American roots. Her dad's family included people from the Cherokee, Choctaw, and Chickasaw tribes. They also had European immigrants. Brianna loved learning about her family history. This interest showed in her art. It also helped her connect with Canyon Records, a Native American record label.

Her Journey in Music

Brianna grew up surrounded by music, art, and films. Her parents always encouraged her artistic talents. Their record collection was like her first music school. It had everything from classical music to folk and rock legends. Some of these artists included Leonard Cohen, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. Other musicians who inspired her were Tom Waits, Roberta Flack, and Doc Watson.

Performing and Recording

When she was a teenager, Brianna often sang in public. She performed in clubs, cafes, and art galleries. She also sang on street corners in Northern California. Sometimes she sang without music, called a cappella. Other times, she played acoustic guitar. She also performed with a band now and then.

Brianna released her first two albums herself. Natural Fact came out in 2003. Winter Apple was released in 2004. Both were recorded in Portland, Oregon. Later, she re-released these albums through Tiger Friends Collective. This company also released her albums The Stars, The Moon, The Owl, The Cougar, and You in 2011. Then came Keeping You in Mind in 2012.

Gypsy Bells Album

In 2013, Brianna released Gypsy Bells with Canyon Records. This album received good reviews and media attention. Her music is often called folk music. It fits into the singer-songwriter style. However, Brianna had many different musical influences. These included Emmylou Harris, Carole King, Iron & Wine, Pavement, Woody Guthrie, and Charles Mingus. People have compared her style to a mix of "Angel Olson + Damien Jurado" and Cat Power.

Brianna's Music Albums

Here are the albums Brianna released:

• Dreamland (this album was not released)
• Natural Fact (2003 self-released, 2009 re-released by Tiger Friends Collective)
• Winter Apple (2004 self-released, 2009 re-released by Tiger Friends Collective)
• The Stars, The Moon, The Owl, The Cougar, and You (2011 Tiger Friends Collective)
• Keeping You in Mind (2012 Tiger Friends Collective)
• Gypsy Bells (2013 Canyon Records)

Her Art as a Painter

Brianna started painting professionally when she was 16. She was living with a professional artist at the time. She mainly used oil paints for her artwork. Her paintings have been shown in art galleries. These galleries were in New York and California. You can also see her work on her website. Brianna was a member of the California Art Club.

Her Poetry and Films

Brianna also wrote poetry. Her poems appeared in different publications. These included Rabbit and Rose. She was also featured in Turtle Island To Abya Yala: A Love Anthology of Art and Poetry by Native American and Latina Women. Some of her poems can also be found in the Blue Moon Literary & Art Review.

Making Short Films

In 2005, Brianna began making short films. She used a small handheld video camera. These films cost nothing to make. One of her short films was called Our Love And Voices. It was part of her film series Roses For Maya Deren. This film premiered at the 2012 American Indian Film Festival.

A DVD of Roses For Maya Deren was funded by fans. It included 18 of the more than 30 short films she made. These films were shot between 2005 and 2012. The DVD was released in early 2015. In May 2015, the 18 short films became available online. Brianna was also a member of the Sundance Institute.