Bright moments from the year in Austin music included Bruce Springsteen at South by Southwest, Gary Clark Jr. at the Austin City Limits Music Festival (and every major festival) and the establishment of some new clubs that strengthened the live music scene. 2012 also was a year of great loss, with deaths that left members of the Austin music community and beyond in mourning. A look at some of the events that shaped the musical year:

Bruce Springsteen at SXSW. Perhaps the biggest name to deliver the keynote address to the annual music conference, Springsteen brought a guitar with him to the podium before a packed-to-the-brim room at the Austin Convention Center. During his speech he offered a personal history of music, explaining — and showing through performance — how many of his greatest songs evolved (borrowed?) from classic rock and Motown staples. Later that night, the Boss and his band played before a crowd of roughly 3,000 at ACL Live, a three-hour show that included guest spots from Eric Burdon, Jimmy Cliff, Alejandro Escovedo and Joe Ely. His tour of Austin also included a pop-up performance with Escovedo and Ely at the Austin Music Awards earlier in the week.

Gary Clark Jr. breaks out. The 28-year-old has been a regular in the Austin blues scene since he began playing for tips at age 15, but 2012 was a huge year in the larger music world for the guitarist and songwriter. Although not a complete unknown thanks to an acting gig in the John Sayles 2007 film “Honeydripper,” Clark earned prominent slots at nearly every major fest, including before 30,000 people on Sunday afternoon at ACL Fest, in part on the strength of 2011 EP “Bright Lights.” And the fests were just the beginning. Clark released a major label debut, “Blak and Blu,” in October, performed at the White House for a special celebration of the blues, was part of a tribute to Buddy Guy at the Kennedy Center Honors, and performed twice with the Rolling Stones on their 50th-anniversary tour.

Neil Young plays ACL Fest. Neil Young brought Crazy Horse out of hibernation — the first time that the lineup of Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina and Frank “Poncho” Sampedro have played together since 1996 — to record two albums in 2012. They also hit the road for a short run of shows, one of which was a Saturday headlining set at Zilker Park. Young and Co. played 12 songs in two hours, including a 25-minute plus “Down By the River,” which left some fans raving about the show, while others, not so much: “too lengthy, riffs repetitive … didn’t connect with the crowd,” one concert-goer wrote online.

Run-DMC at Fun Fun Fun Fest. Opening night of Fun Fun Fun Fest’s second year at Auditorium Shores was anchored by a big headliner —reunited rappers Run-DMC. The group, whose show in Austin was only its second performance in 13 years, was without DJ Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell, who was killed in 2002. Two of Mizell’s sons, DJ Jam Master J’son and DJ DasMatic, took their father’s place, so “they could bring Jay’s spirit with them,” according to Joseph “Run” Simmons. In part because of the reunion, FFF saw its attendance increase by 17 percent over the three-day weekend.

Red River marches on. The defection of Emo’s at the end of 2011 to East Riverside Drive (followed by the Beauty Bar in 2012) raised the question of whether the heart of Austin’s live music district on Red River Street would survive, or shift out of downtown. Despite progress on the Waller Creek tunnel project, which threatens to transform the strip into luxury condos and shops, music still plays on Red River. After doing time as a Sony lounge during SXSW, Red 7 renovated, building a new inside stage and giving the club a makeover. Holy Mountain took over in the Seventh Street space left empty by Beauty Bar, and Beerland renewed its lease.

East Sixth grows. Cheer Up Charlies ran into problems with an outdoor sound permit, and have since ended regular outdoor live music as they work with the city to resolve the situation (they will continue with special events). Elsewhere on East Sixth, however, the live music scene continues to expand at clubs such as the White Horse, which grew into a force of honky-tonk nature in less than a year, and Hotel Vegas, which brought in former 29th St. Ballroom managers Jason McNeely and Brian Tweedy as partners.

Esme Barrera. 2012 began in the worst way when Esme Barrera was killed in her home in the early hours of Jan. 1. News of her death touched many in Austin’s music community and beyond. Among other things, Barrera was known for her support of Austin’s music scene, her volunteer work with Girls Rock Camp, and her jobs as a special education assistant at Casis Elementary and as a clerk at Waterloo Records. One of Barrera’s favorite artists, Ted Leo, traveled to Austin to perform at one of the benefits held in her honor.

On Dec. 20, Austin police ruled that the suspect in Barrera’s death, who had taken his own life, was her killer and declared the case closed.

Brent Grulke. Austin’s music world took another hit in August when longtime creative director for the SXSW music conference and festival Brent Grulke died suddenly of a heart attack. “A lot of Brent’s personality was in SXSW,” Roland Swenson, SXSW director and co-founder, said of Grulke at the time. “He was adventurous and knowledgeable and excited about creative people and endeavors. He didn’t like the usual and mundane. He was open-minded enough to know that his taste wasn’t always the most important thing, so he was open to new things.” Grulke, a Nebraska native who became involved in Austin music in the ’80s as an engineer and manager, was a main force behind SXSW’s expansion.

Other losses for Austin’s music community in 2012 include SXSW community liaison Biff Parker, Austin blues guitarist Clarence Pierce, musician Nick Curran, and longtime Micky and the Motorcars bassist Mark McCoy.