In Memoriam: Brent Grulke

We read with sorrow this morning of the tragic and untimely death of Brent Grulke, creative director of Austin, Texas' South By Southwest festival. Mr. Grulke passed from a heart attack suffered following oral surgery.

Grulke's importance to publishers may be tangential—he was by all reports all about the music where the fest was concerned. But it was his vision for the music portion of the festival that made it the can't-miss behemoth it's become; and it's that vision that has spread to SXSW's film and interactive components. And thus, South By Southwest's importance to publishing has grown exponentially thanks its annual showcase of cutting-edge media technology.

As publishing moves further into interactive digital realms, that will only increase.

It is with this in mind that we here at Publishing Business Today mourn the loss of Mr. Grulke. You can read Mr. Grulke's obituary at the SXSW site and at the New York Times, as well as warm remembrances from his friends and former colleagues at the Austin Chronicle, the alt-weekly where he once served as music editor, and the SXSW festival, which has set up an education fund for Grulke's son, Graham.