This is it, folks. Tonight is the last night for Downtown Sounds and the festival will end with a high-quality bang from the Shane Pruitt Band. Pruitt and his cohorts Bill Fletcher (drums) and Jim Peterman (bass) are truly what people have come to expect from all acts at Downtown Sounds: eclectic, versatile and enjoyable.

The Shane Pruitt Band has toured the Southeast for the past two years, spreading its blues/soul/gospel/southern sounds along the way. Pruitt says he is influenced by the old blues guys from his youth and grassroots artists like Derek Trucks.

“I’m only in my early 30s,” Pruitt said, “I didn’t get into Pearl Jam, Nirvana and the other acts that were big in my youth. The older music chose me because I was always around it in my house growing up.”

Pruitt said the band is always reworking and putting a new spin on old songs. The band covers the likes of Albert King, Billy Preston and the Staple Singers. Pruitt said he stays away from popular music of today.

He describes the band’s originals as soul music in the vein of Al Green with a heavy emphasis on guitar. Songs like “Won’t Stop” are straight-ahead blues, while other originals like “I Love You So” and “Give It to You” are based much more in soul.

“We like to be like Duane Allman,” Pruitt said, “He could play soul stuff, but when his solos came around he could make them shine and expand on the song.”

Pruitt said the band likes to explore songs and have fun with on stage with a tune. However, he doesn’t categorize the Shane Pruitt Band as a jam band. Interestingly, he likens the band’s approach onstage to the rhythm of a basketball game.

“We don’t noodle around too much,” Pruitt said, “We’re like a basketball team on the rebound; we know where it’s going to go, but eventually the play has to end.”