Haim, Chvrches, Flaming Lips Are Winners Of The Inaugural Grulke Prize At Sxsw 2013

SXSW Music is pleased to announce the winners of the first annual Grulke Prize.

The Prize, awarded in three categories, was developed in honor of our friend and colleague Creative Director Brent Grulke, who passed away on August 13, 2012. 

Brent Grulke had a lengthy career in many aspects of the music industry from music editor at the Austin Chronicle to sound engineer or tour manager for many Austin bands as well as production and sound engineer in clubs in San Francisco. He later moved to Los Angeles to become the manager at Spindletop Records which eventually led him back to Austin where he was the longtime Creative Director of the SXSW Music Festival. 

Brent's love of music and the spirit of the festival is reflected in the three Prize categories: Developing US Act, Developing Non-US Act and Career Act. 

The Developing Act Prize is for artists who are breaking new ground with their creativity and show the most promise in achieving their career goals. The Career Act Prize is for an established artist who appeared at  SXSW 2013 to reinvent themselves or launch an important new project. 

The Grulke Prize winner for Developing US Act is Haim. The quartet, consisting of three sisters and a mister who hail from the San Fernando Valley, performed at this year's festival and garnered favorable press in anticipation of their debut album, coming this year. After a successful EP and a breakout showcase at last year's SXSW, the band signed to Polydor and toured supporting both Mumford & Sons and Florence and the Machine. 

The Grulke Prize winner for Non-US Act is CHVRCHES. This band from Glasgow, Scotland made their US and SXSW debut this year. Formed in 2011, they were on the list for this year's BBC's Sound of 2013. Their catchy synthpop sound and alluring (and highly educated) vocalist, Lauren Mayberry, made them one of the bands to see at this year's festival. 

The Grulke Prize winner for Career Act is The Flaming Lips. The Flaming Lips and their storied career have a long intersecting path with SXSW. They debuted their new album, The Terror, in its entirety along with a new stage production. The band played an intimate show at The Belmont and a packed to the ends of Auditorium Shores outdoor stage concert. Wayne Coyne and the band are masters of reinvention whose beginnings, in Oklahoma City, date back to 1983.

Jurors for the Grulke Prize included music critics, industry professionals and SXSW staff who knew and worked with Brent over the years.