Pruett was born Norma Jean Bowman outside of Pell City, Alabama. She was raised on a farm and was one of 12 children. Pruett recalled the experiences of being raised on a farm in her 2017 autobiography. "The beauty of the farm, dotted with tall pine trees, sweet shrubs, and blooming dogwood trees, reminded me why they worked so hard, because there wasn't a more perfect sight in the world than that old farm," she explained. In 1947, the Bowman family farm caught fire which devastated the family. "The only sounds now were an occasional pop of the dying sparks and the sound of Mama softly crying, her tired arms holding on to Dad and the children," she recounted. With the support of neighbors, the Bowman's rebuilt their home on the same property within a year's time.