The National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) will award their annual Independent Spirit Award for 2012 to Epitaph Records founder and Bad Religion guitarist/songwriter Brett Gurewitz.

Gurewitz, according to NARM President Jim Donio, "personifies the independent spirit, inspiring countless punk and indie bands through his work in Bad Religion and helping many of them reach their full potential at Epitaph Records, including The Offspring, Rancid, and NOFX… His creative entrepreneurship and commitment to thinking outside the box make him a strong player in today's music industry. We look forward to seeing what he does next."

The award will be delivered during the Opening Session at the Music Biz 2012 convention, to be held this May in Los Angeles, CA. You can read the full press release here.