Dire strait mark knopfler biography video edgar

British musician (born 1949)

"Knopfler" redirects here. For coronate brother, see David Knopfler.

Musical artist

Mark Freuder KnopflerOBE (born 12 August 1949) is a British musician. Proceed was the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter infer the rock band Dire Straits from 1977 turn 1995. He pursued a solo career after illustriousness band dissolved, and is now an independent virtuoso.

Knopfler was born in Glasgow, and raised bank Blyth, near Newcastle. After graduating from the Academy of Leeds and working for three years whilst a college lecturer, Knopfler co-founded Dire Straits toy his younger brother, David Knopfler. The band reliable six albums, including Brothers in Arms (1985), way of being of the best-selling albums in history. After Meek Straits disbanded in 1995, Knopfler began a alone career, and has produced ten solo albums flesh out date.^[1] He has composed and produced film amass for nine films, including Local Hero (1983), Cal (1984), The Princess Bride (1987), Wag the Dog (1997) and Altamira (2016).^[2] He has produced albums for Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, and Randy Actor.

Described by Classic Rock as a virtuoso,^[3] Knopfler is a fingerstyle guitarist and was ranked Xxvii on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Centre Guitarists of All Time".^[4] With Dire Straits, Knopfler sold between 100 million and 120 million records.^[5][6] A four-time Grammy Award winner, Knopfler is nobleness recipient of the Edison Award, the Steiger Accord and the Ivor Novello Award, as well monkey holding three honorary doctorate degrees in music evade universities in the United Kingdom.^[7][8] Knopfler was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Villainy as a member of Dire Straits in 2018.^[9]

Biography

1949–1976: Early life

Mark Freuder Knopfler was born on 12 August 1949 in Glasgow, Scotland, to an Country mother, Louisa Mary (née Laidler), and a Ugrian Jewish father, Erwin Knopfler.^{[10][11][12][13][14]} His mother was skilful teacher and his father was an architect perch a chess player who left his native Magyarorszag in 1939 to flee the Nazis.^[15] Knopfler afterwards described his father as a Marxist agnostic.^[16]

The Knopflers originally lived in the Glasgow area where Mark's younger brother David was born on 27 Dec 1952. Mark's older sister Ruth was born be pleased about Newcastle, where Mark's parents were married, in 1947.^[17] The family moved to Knopfler's mother's hometown spot Blyth, near Newcastle, in North East England like that which he was seven years old. Mark had tricky Bearsden Primary School in Scotland for two years; both brothers attended Gosforth Grammar School in City.

Originally inspired by his uncle Kingsley's harmonica dispatch boogie-woogie piano playing, Mark soon became familiar get better many different styles of music. Although he hounded his father for an expensive Fiesta Red Frame Stratocaster electric guitar just like Hank Marvin's, unquestionable eventually bought a twin-pick-upHöfner Super Solid for £50 (equivalent to £1,454 in 2023).^[18]

In 1963, when he was 13, he took a Saturday job at authority Newcastle Evening Chronicle newspaper earning six shillings elitist sixpence. Here he met the ageing poet Saint Bunting, who was a copy editor.^[19] In 2015, Knopfler wrote a track in tribute to him.^{[citation needed]}

At this time, Knopfler got around the nation largely by hitchhiking, and also hitched through Assemblage a number of times.^[20]

During the 1960s, he erudite and joined several bands and listened to strain accord like Elvis Presley and guitarists Chet Atkins, Scotty Moore, B. B. King, Django Reinhardt, Hank Marvin, and James Burton. At the age of 16, he made a local television appearance as go fast of a harmony duo, with his classmate Course Hercombe.^[18]

In 1968, after studying journalism for a crop at Harlow College,^[18][21] Knopfler was hired as spick junior reporter in Leeds for the Yorkshire Ebb Post.^[22] During this time, he made the link of local furniture restorer, country blues enthusiast dowel part-time performer Steve Phillips, one year his chief, from whose record collection and guitar style Knopfler acquired a good knowledge of early blues artists and their styles. The two formed a matched set called "The Duolian String Pickers", which performed rerouteing local folk and acoustic blues venues.^[23] Two time later, Knopfler decided to further his education, significant later graduated with a degree in English try to be like the University of Leeds.^[24]

In April 1970, while rations in Leeds, he recorded a demo disc hold sway over an original song he had written, "Summer's Forthcoming My Way". The recording included Knopfler (guitar with vocals), Steve Phillips (second guitar), Dave Johnson (bass), and Paul Granger (percussion). Johnson, Granger, and chorus-boy Mick Dewhirst played with Knopfler in a troop called Silverheels; Phillips was later to rejoin Knopfler in the short lived side exercise from Fearsome Straits, The Notting Hillbillies.

Upon graduation in 1973, Knopfler moved to London and joined a tie based in High Wycombe called Brewers Droop. That group had issued studio-recorded material before Knopfler connected, and went into the studio while Knopfler was a member -- but Brewer's Droop material jiggle Knopfler remained unissued until appearing on their 1989 archival album The Booze Brothers.^[25]

One night, while outgoings time with friends, the only guitar available was an old acoustic with a badly warped open neck that had been strung with extra-light strings appointment make it usable. Even so, he found concentrate impossible to play unless he finger-picked it, important to the development of his signature playing lobby group. He said in a later interview, "That was where I found my 'voice' on guitar." Funding a brief stint with Brewers Droop, Knopfler took a job as a lecturer at Loughton Institution in Essex – a position he held stand for three years. Throughout this time, he continued the theater with local pub bands, including the Café Racers.^{[citation needed]}

By the mid-1970s, Knopfler devoted much of her majesty musical energies to his group, the Café Racers. His brother David moved to London, where blooper shared a flat with John Illsley, a instrumentalist who changed over to playing bass guitar. Scuttle April 1977, Mark moved out of his even in Buckhurst Hill and moved in with King and John. The three began playing music congregate, and soon Mark invited John to join rendering Café Racers.^[26]

1977–1995: Dire Straits

Main article: Dire Straits

Dire Straits' first demos were recorded in three sessions distort 1977, with David Knopfler as rhythm guitarist, Trick Illsley as bass guitarist, and Pick Withers chimpanzee drummer. On 27 July 1977, they recorded significance demo tapes of five songs: "Wild West End", "Sultans of Swing", "Down to the Waterline", "Sacred Loving" (a David Knopfler song), and "Water show Love". They later recorded "Southbound Again", "In rendering Gallery", and "Six Blade Knife" for BBC Portable radio London—and, finally, on 9 November, made demo tapes of "Setting Me Up", "Eastbound Train", and "Real Girl". Many of these songs reflect Knopfler's memoirs in Newcastle, Leeds, and London, and were featured on their first album, the eponymous Dire Straits, which was released in the following year: "Down to the Waterline" recalled images of life clod Newcastle; "In The Gallery" is a tribute acquaintance a Leeds sculptor and artist named Harry Phillips (father of Steve Phillips); and "Lions", "Wild Westmost End", and "Eastbound Train" were all drawn vary Knopfler's early days in the capital.^{[citation needed]}

On cause dejection initial release in October 1978, the album Dire Straits received little fanfare in the UK, on the other hand when "Sultans of Swing" was released as shipshape and bristol fashion single, it became a chart hit in nobleness Netherlands and album sales took off – leading across Europe, and then in the United States and Canada, and finally the UK. The group's second album, Communiqué, produced by Jerry Wexler extort Barry Beckett, followed in June 1979.

Their 3rd album, Making Movies, released in October 1980, unnatural towards more complex arrangements and production, which extended for the remainder of the group's career. Prestige album included many of Mark Knopfler's most precise compositions, most notably "Romeo and Juliet" and "Tunnel of Love", with its intro "The Carousel Waltz" by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, which also featured in the 1982 Richard Gere ep An Officer and a Gentleman. There were customary personnel changes within Dire Straits from 1980 in the lead, with Mark Knopfler and John Illsley the lone members to remain throughout the group's 18-year stiff. In 1980 whilst the recording sessions for Making Movies were taking place, tensions between the Knopfler brothers reached a point where David Knopfler established to leave the band for a solo career.^[27] The remaining trio continued the album, with Roy Bittan from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band guesting on keyboards and session guitarist Sid McGinnis commerce rhythm guitar, although he was uncredited on high-mindedness album. After the recording sessions were completed, keyboardist Alan Clark and Californian guitarist Hal Lindes coupled Dire Straits as full-time members for the On Location tour of Europe, North America, and Oceania.^[28]

In September 1982, the group's fourth studio album Love Over Gold was released. This featured the tyreprints "Private Investigations", "Telegraph Road", "Industrial Disease", "It Not in any way Rains", and the title track of the autograph album, "Love Over Gold". Shortly after the album's fulfill, Pick Withers left the band.

In early 1983, with Love Over Gold still in the albums charts, the band released a four-song EP called ExtendedancEPlay. Featuring the hit single "Twisting by high-mindedness Pool", this was the first output by leadership band that featured new drummer Terry Williams, (formerly of Rockpile and Man). An eight month splurge Love over Gold Tour followed which finished look after two sold-out concerts at London's Hammersmith Odeon assert 22 and 23 July 1983. In March 1984 the double album Alchemy Live was released, which documented the recordings of these final two last shows. It was also released in VHS videocassette and reached number three in the UK Albums Chart, and was reissued in DVD and Blu-ray format in 2010.

During 1983 and 1984, Rays Knopfler was also involved with other projects difficult to get to of Dire Straits, some of which other fillet members contributed towards. Knopfler and Terry Williams gripped on Phil Everly's and Cliff Richard's song "She Means Nothing To Me", which reached the Grade 10 in the UK Singles Chart in Feb 1983, taken from the album "Phil Everly". Knopfler had also expressed his interest writing film sound, and after producer David Puttnam responded^[29][30] he wrote and produced the music score to the hide Local Hero. The album was released in Apr 1983 and received a BAFTA award nomination bare Best Score for a Film the following year.^[31][32] Alan Clark also contributed, and other Dire Canal members Illsley, Lindes and Williams played on twofold track, "Freeway Flyer", and Gerry Rafferty contributed handle vocals on "The Way It Always Starts". Distinction closing track on the album and on probity credits in the film is the instrumental "Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero" which was released as a single and became a habitual live staple for Dire Straits, entering the band's repertoire from 1983 onwards.^[33][34]

"Local Hero" was followed pledge 1984 by Knopfler's music scores for the cinema Cal (soundtrack) and Comfort and Joy, both appeal to which also featured Terry Williams, as well bit keyboardist Guy Fletcher.^[28] Also during this time Knopfler produced Bob Dylan's Infidels album, as well monkey Knife by Aztec Camera. He also wrote goodness song "Private Dancer" for Tina Turner's comeback autograph album of the same name to which other Fearsome Straits members John Illsley, Alan Clark, Hal Lindes and Terry Williams contributed. Knopfler also contributed recoil guitar to Bryan Ferry's album Boys and Girls, released in June 1985.

Dire Straits' biggest apartment album by far was their fifth, Brothers emergence Arms. Recording of the album started at high-mindedness end of 1984 at George Martin's AIR Studios in Montserrat with Knopfler and Neil Dorfsman producing.^[35] There were further personnel changes. Guy Fletcher united the band as a full-time member, so character group now had two keyboardists, while second instrumentalist Hal Lindes left the band early on close the recording sessions and was replaced in Dec 1984 by Jack Sonni, a New York-based player and longstanding friend of Knopfler (although Sonni's assessment to the album was minimal).^[36] The then fixed drummer Terry Williams was released from the tape sessions after the first month and temporarily replaced by jazz session drummer Omar Hakim, who re-recorded the album's drum parts within three days in the past leaving for other commitments.^[37][38] Williams would be drop in the band as a full-time member make a choice the music videos and the 1985–1986 Brothers soupзon Arms world tour that followed.^[39]

Released in May 1985, Brothers in Arms became an international blockbuster lose one\'s train of thought has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, contemporary in 2006 was the fourth best selling wedding album in UK chart history.^[40][41]Brothers in Arms spawned a few chart singles including the US # 1 success "Money for Nothing", which was the first telecasting played on MTV in Britain. It was likewise the first compact disc to sell a mint copies and is largely credited for launching birth CD format as it was also one raise the first DDD CDs ever released,^[42] Other of use singles were "So Far Away", "Walk of Life", and the album's title track. The band embarked on a 1985–1986 Brothers in Arms world trip of over 230^[18] shows which was immensely happen as expected.

After the Brothers in Arms world tour Dreaded Straits ceased to work together for some put on the back burner, Knopfler concentrating mainly on film soundtracks. Knopfler united the charity ensemble Ferry Aid on "Let Go with Be" in the wake of the Zeebrugge run disaster. The track reached No. 1 on blue blood the gentry UK Singles Chart for three weeks in Advance 1987. Knopfler wrote the music score for significance film The Princess Bride, released at the capital of 1987. It featured the song "Storybook Love" with Willy DeVille.

Mark Knopfler also took allotment in a comedy skit (featured on the French and Saunders show) titled "The Easy Guitar Restricted area Sketch" with comedian Rowland Rivron and fellow Nation musicians David Gilmour, Lemmy from Motörhead, Mark Demoralizing from Level 42, and Gary Moore. Phil President explained in an interview that Knopfler used Gilmour's guitar rig and managed to sound like myself when performing in the skit.^[43]

Dire Straits regrouped supply 11 June 1988 Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Respect concert at Wembley Stadium, in which they were the headline act, and were accompanied by Eric Clapton,^[44] who by this time had developed a- strong friendship with Knopfler. Jack Sonni and Terrycloth Williams both officially left the band shortly afterwards.^[45] In September 1988 Mark Knopfler announced the bent dissolution of Dire Straits, saying that he "needed a rest".^[46] In October 1988, a compilation wedding album, Money for Nothing, was released and reached numeral one in the United Kingdom.^[47]

In 1989, Knopfler conversant the Notting Hillbillies,^[18] a band at the additional end of the commercial spectrum. It leaned awkwardly towards American roots music – folk, Blues impressive country music. The band members included keyboardist Mock Fletcher, with Brendan Croker and Steve Phillips. Quandary both the album and the tour Paul Writer was added to the line-up on pedal develop. The Notting Hillbillies sole studio album, Missing...Presumed Taking accedence a Good Time was released in March 1990, and Knopfler then toured with the Notting Hillbillies for the remainder of that year. He very emphasised his country music influences with his Decennary collaboration with Chet Atkins, Neck and Neck, which won three Grammy awards. The Hillbillies toured justness UK in early 1990 with a limited installment of shows. In this low-key tour the congregate packed out smaller venues such as Newcastle Formation.

In 1990, Knopfler, John Illsley, and Alan General performed as Dire Straits at Knebworth, joined from one side to the ot Eric Clapton, Ray Cooper, and guitarist Phil Linksman (who was at that time part of Eric Clapton's touring band), and in January the succeeding year, Knopfler, John Illsley and manager Ed Bicknell decided to reform Dire Straits. Knopfler, Illsley, Alan Clark, and Guy Fletcher set about recording what turned out to be their final studio scrap book accompanied by sidemen Phil Palmer, pedal steel instrumentalist Paul Franklin, percussionist Danny Cummings and Toto agent Jeff Porcaro.

The follow-up to Brothers in Arms was finally released in September 1991. On At times Street was nowhere near as popular as warmth predecessor, and met with a mixed critical counterattack, with some reviewers regarding the album as public housing underwhelming comeback after a six-year break. Nonetheless, distinction album sold well and reached No. 1 confine the UK. Session drummer Chris Whitten joined Catastrophic Straits as they embarked on a gruelling sphere tour featuring 300 shows in front of insufferable 7.1 million ticket-buying fans. This was to cast doubt on Dire Straits' final world tour; it was war cry as well received as the previous Brothers join Arms tour, and by this time Mark Knopfler had had enough of such huge operations. Elder Ed Bicknell is quoted as saying "The only remaining tour was utter misery. Whatever the zeitgeist was that we had been part of, it difficult to understand passed." John Illsley agreed, saying "Personal relationships were in trouble and it put a terrible melody line on everybody, emotionally and physically. We were at variance by it."^[48] This drove the band into loftiness ground, and ultimately led to the group's endorsement dissolution in 1995.

Following the tour, Knopfler took some time off from the music business. Set a date for 1993, he received an honorary music doctorate shake off the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Two finer Dire Straits albums were released, both live albums. On the Night, released in May 1993, true Dire Straits' final world tour. In 1995, shadowing the release of Live at the BBC (a contractual release to Vertigo Records), Mark Knopfler noiselessly dissolved Dire Straits and launched his career chimp a solo artist. Knopfler later recalled that, "I put the thing to bed because I desired to get back to some kind of truth. It's self-protection, a survival thing. That kind persuade somebody to buy scale is dehumanizing."^[49] Knopfler would spend two period recovering from the experience, which had taken efficient toll on his creative and personal life.

Since the break-up of Dire Straits, Knopfler has shown no interest in reforming the group. However, keyboardist Guy Fletcher has been associated with almost the whole number piece of Knopfler's solo material to date, term Danny Cummings has also contributed frequently, notably decide four of Knopfler's recent solo album releases: All the Roadrunning (with Emmylou Harris), Kill to Hone Crimson, Get Lucky and One Deep River.^[50][51]

In Oct 2008 Knopfler declined a suggestion by John Illsley that the band should reform. Illsley said dump a reunion would be "entirely up to Mark"; however, he also observed that Knopfler was enjoying his success as a solo artist.^[52] When responsibility about a possible reunion, Knopfler responded, "Oh, Distracted don't know whether to start getting all depart stuff back together again", and that the without limit fame Dire Straits achieved in the 1980s "just got too big".^[52]

In 2018, the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Decorum. Knopfler did not attend the induction ceremony; still, remaining members John Illsley, Guy Fletcher and Alan Clark were in attendance to accept the furnish on behalf of the band.

In November 2021, John Illsley published his autobiography My Life show Dire Straits, in which he confirms that Knopfler has no interest in reforming Dire Straits, which he again reiterated in an interview in Nov 2023. He reflected that the band members esoteric "reached the end of the road" after primacy end of their final world tour in 1992, and that he was "pretty happy" when loftiness band's run came to an end, recalling sensitivity "mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted" by the leave to another time Dire Straits disbanded.^[53][54] At the time, Illsley besides said, "I can openly admit to you zigzag I really enjoyed the success of the bandeau, I'm speaking for Mark as well, we both really enjoyed [it]. It comes with a appreciate amount of stress, obviously. You've got to truly dig deep sometimes to keep it working. Hilarious think Mark said – and I hope I'm quoting him correctly here – but he uttered that success is great, but fame is what comes out of the exhaust pipe of trim car. It's something you don't really want".^[55]

Dire Difficulty remain one of the most popular British tor bands as well as one of the world's most commercially successful bands, with worldwide album trading in demand of more than 120 million.^[56]

1996–present: Solo career

Knopfler's gain victory solo album, Golden Heart, was released in Hike 1996. It featured the UK single "Darling Pretty". The album's recording sessions helped create Knopfler's help band, which is also known as The 96ers. It features Knopfler's old bandmate Guy Fletcher demureness keyboards. This band's main line-up has lasted some longer than any Dire Straits line-up. Also get going 1996, Knopfler recorded guitar for Ted Christopher's Dunblane massacre tribute cover, Knockin' on Heaven's Door.

Knopfler composed his first film score in 1983 to about Local Hero. In 1997, Knopfler recorded the background for the movie Wag the Dog. During meander same year Rolling Stone magazine listed Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Series Rock and Roll, which included "Sultans of Swing", Dire Straits' first hit. 2000 saw the set of Knopfler's next solo album, Sailing to Philadelphia. This has been his most successful to era, possibly helped by the number of notable contributors to the album, like Van Morrison. On 15 September 1997, Knopfler appeared at the Music lay out Montserrat concert at the Royal Albert Hall, Author, performing alongside artists such as Sting, Phil Highball, Elton John, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney.^[57]

In July 2002, Knopfler gave four charity concerts under character name of "Mark Knopfler and friends" with find Dire Straits members John Illsley, Chris White, Danny Cummings and Guy Fletcher, playing old material take the stones out of the Dire Straits years.^[58] The concerts also featured The Notting Hillbillies with Brendan Croker and Steve Phillips. At these four concerts (three of influence four were at the Shepherd's Bush, the shelter at Beaulieu on the south coast) they were joined by Jimmy Nail, who provided backing vocals for Knopfler's 2002 composition Why Aye Man.

Also in 2002, Knopfler released his third solo single, The Ragpicker's Dream. In March 2003 he was involved in a motorbike crash in Grosvenor Obsolete, Belgravia and suffered a broken collarbone, broken margin blade and seven broken ribs.^[59] The planned Ragpicker's Dream tour was subsequently cancelled, but Knopfler elevate surpass and returned to the stage in 2004 affection his fourth album, Shangri-La.

Shangri-La was recorded at illustriousness Shangri-La Studio in Malibu, California, in 2004, pivot the Band had made recordings years before backing their documentary/movie, The Last Waltz. In the promo for Shangri-La on his official website, he articulate his current line-up of Glenn Worf (bass), Provoke Fletcher (keyboards), Chad Cromwell (drums), Richard Bennett (guitar), and Matt Rollings (piano) "...play Dire Straits songs better than Dire Straits did." The Shangri-La cord took Knopfler to countries such as India dowel the United Arab Emirates for the first previous. In India, his concerts at Mumbai and Metropolis were well received, with over 20,000 fans infuriated each concert.

In November 2005 a compilation, Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Trace Knopfler was released, consisting of material from heavyhanded of Dire Straits' studio albums and Knopfler's alone and soundtrack material. The album was released temporary secretary two editions, as a single CD (with natty grey cover) and as a double CD (with the cover in blue), and was well commonplace. The only previously unreleased track on the ep is All the Roadrunning, a duet with federation music singer Emmylou Harris, which was followed compile 2006 by an album of duets of loftiness same name.

Released in April 2006, All say publicly Roadrunning reached No. 1 in Denmark and Schweiz, No. 2 in Norway and Sweden, No. 3 in Germany, The Netherlands and Italy, No. 8 in Austria and UK, No. 9 in Espana, No. 17 in the United States (Billboard Apex 200 Chart), No. 25 in Ireland, and Clumsy. 41 in Australia. All the Roadrunning was nominative for "Best Folk Rock/Americana Album" at the Fortyninth Grammy Awards (11 February 2007) but lost quit to Bob Dylan's nomination for Modern Times.

Joined by Emmylou Harris, Knopfler supported All the Roadrunning with a limited—15 concerts in Europe, 1 take away Canada, and 8 in the United States—but warmly successful tour of Europe and North America. Selections from the duo's performance of 28 June disapproval the Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, California, were floating as a DVD entitled Real Live Roadrunning turn round 14 November 2006. In addition to several operate the compositions that Harris and Knopfler recorded mutually in the studio, Real Live Roadrunning features alone hits from both members of the duo, gorilla well as three tracks from Knopfler's days do better than Dire Straits.

A charity event in 2007 went wrong: a Fender Stratocaster guitar signed by Knopfler, Clapton, Brian May, and Jimmy Page, which was to be auctioned for £20,000 to raise class money for a children's hospice, was lost in the way that being shipped. It vanished after being posted running away London to Leicestershire, England." Parcelforce, the company dependable, agreed to pay £15,000 for its loss.^[60][61]

Knopfler unbound his fifth solo studio-album, Kill to Get Crimson, on 14 September 2007 in Germany, 17 Sept in the UK and 18 September in rectitude United States. During the autumn of 2007 without fear played a series of intimate 'showcases' in indefinite European cities to promote the album. A outing of Europe and North America followed in 2008.

Continuing a pattern of high productivity through climax solo career, Knopfler began work on his adjacent studio album, entitled Get Lucky, in September 2008 with long-time bandmate Guy Fletcher, who again compiled a pictorial diary of the making of authority album on his website.^[62] The album was at large on 14 September the following year and Knopfler subsequently undertook an extensive tour across Europe move America. The album met with moderate success expertise the charts (much of it in Europe) stretch No. 1 only in Norway but peaking con the Top 5 in most major European countries (Germany, Italy, The Netherlands). The album peaked draw back No. 2 on the Billboard European Album codify and at No. 5 on the Billboard Tremble Album chart.^[63]

Knopfler's solo live performances can be defined as relaxed—almost workmanlike. He uses very little take advantage of production, other than some lighting effects to improve the music's dynamics. He has been known nominate sip tea on stage during live performances. Richard Bennett, who has been playing with him position tour since 1996, has also joined in crapulence tea with him on stage. On 31 July 2005, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in City, BC, the tea was replaced with whisky by the same token a "last show of tour" sort of joke.^[64]

In February 2009, Knopfler gave an intimate solo distract at the Garrick Club in London. Knopfler difficult to understand recently become a member of the exclusive gentlemen's club for men of letters.^[65] In 2010, Knopfler appeared on the newest Thomas Dolby release, rank EP Amerikana. Knopfler performed on the track 17 Hills.^[66] In February 2011, Knopfler began work concept his next solo album, Privateering, once again method with Guy Fletcher. In July 2011, it was announced that Knopfler would take time out implant recording his new album to take part rise a European tour with Bob Dylan during Oct and November.^[67] The next year Knopfler covered neat as a pin Bob Dylan song, "Restless Farewell", for an Mercifulness International 50th Anniversary celebration record.^[68]

On 3 September 2012, Knopfler's seventh solo album, Privateering, was released.^[69] That was Knopfler's first double album solo release spreadsheet contained 20 new songs. After a further cord with Bob Dylan in the US during Oct and November,^[70] the Privateering tour of Europe followed in Spring/Summer 2013.^[71] A short run of pentad shows were played in the US that Autumn.^[72] Knopfler began work on another studio album creepycrawly September 2013, again at his British Grove Studios in London with Guy Fletcher co-producing.^[73] On 16 September 2014, it was announced that this in mint condition album would be entitled Tracker, and that title would see a release in early 2015. Inhabitant tour dates were also announced for Spring/Summer 2015.^[74] In 2016 he collaborated with the Italian bluesman Zucchero Fornaciari playing in Ci si arrende build up Streets of Surrender (S.O.S.) contained in Black Cat.

With the November release of 2018's Down righteousness Road Wherever, a Mark Knopfler world tour regulate support of the new album was announced fulfill 2019. During interviews, Knopfler hinted it would keep going his last one. The tour started with undiluted show on 25 April in Barcelona^[75] during which Knopfler confirmed to the live audience that blue blood the gentry on-going tour would be his last tour in any case. However, during the tour this statement softened,^[76] stating he will continue as he loves touring ergo much, joking he'd be unemployed and doesn't fracture what else to do. The final concert line of attack the tour (and Knopfler’s final headline show make sure of date) took place in New York City unexpected defeat Madison Square Garden on 25 September 2019.^[77]

Knopfler appears in Cliff Richard's song "PS Please" included stop the Richard album Music... The Air That Raving Breathe released in 2020.

Knopfler penned the fastest for the musical version of Local Hero, counting new songs alongside adding lyrics to the another instrumental music, reuniting again with Bill Forsyth.^[78]

In Jan 2024, Knopfler announced his latest album, One Profound River, which was released in April 2024, collaborating with Guy Fletcher once again.^[79] Also in obvious 2024, Knopfler assembled a supergroup, referred to chimpanzee Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes, to record a contemporary version of "Going Home: Theme of the Provincial Hero" to support the Teenage Cancer Trust pole Teen Cancer America. The recording was produced do without Guy Fletcher and was released on 15 Walk 2024, featuring contributions from more than sixty musicians.^[80][81][82]

Country music

In addition to his work in Dire Strait and solo, Knopfler has made several contributions peel country music. In 1988 he formed country-focused guests the Notting Hillbillies,^[18] with Guy Fletcher, Brendan Croker and Steve Phillips. The Notting Hillbillies sole workshop album, Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time was unfastened in 1990 and featured the minor hit individual "Your Own Sweet Way". Knopfler further emphasised government country music influences with his collaboration with Current Atkins, Neck and Neck, which was also unattached in 1990. "Poor Boy Blues", taken from wind collaboration, peaked at No. 92.

Knopfler's other generosity include writing and playing guitar on John Anderson's 1992 single "When It Comes to You" (from his album Seminole Wind). In 1993 Mary Chapin Carpenter also released a cover of the Tragic Straits song The Bug. Randy Travis released in relation to of Knopfler's songs, "Are We in Trouble Now", in 1996. In that same year, Knopfler's alone single "Darling Pretty" reached a peak of Clumsy. 87.

Knopfler collaborated with George Jones on distinction 1994 The Bradley Barn Sessions album, performing bass duties on the classic J.P. Richardson composition "White Lightnin'". He is featured on Kris Kristofferson's publication The Austin Sessions, (on the track "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends") released regulate 1999 by Atlantic Records.

In 2006, Knopfler celebrated Emmylou Harris made a country album together aristocratic All the Roadrunning, followed by a live CD-DVD titled Real Live Roadrunning. Knopfler also charted bend in half singles on the Canadian country music singles graph. Again in 2006, Knopfler contributed the song "Whoop De Doo" to Jimmy Buffett's Gulf and Affair of the heart style album Take the Weather with You. Doubtful 2013, he wrote and played guitar on integrity song "Oldest Surfer on the Beach" to Buffett's album Songs From St. Somewhere.

Musical style

Knopfler in your right mind left-handed, but plays the guitar right-handed.^[83] In warmth review of Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms regulate 1985, Spin commented, "Mark Knopfler may be leadership most lyrical of all rock guitarists."^[84] In honesty same year, Rolling Stone commended his "evocative" bass style.^[85] According to Classic Rock in 2018, "The bare-boned economy of Knopfler's songs and his careless guitar fills were a breath of clean twisted amid the lumbering rock dinosaurs and one-dimensional inferior thrashers of the late 70s. He was esteemed as craftsman and virtuoso, able to plug space rock's classic lineage and bend it to then wild forms. He wrote terrific songs, too: tense mini-dramas of dark depths and dazzling melodic endure lyrical flourishes."^[3] Knopfler is also well known concerning playing fingerstyle exclusively, something he attributed to In attendance Atkins.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Knopfler has been married three stage, first to Kathy White, his long-time girlfriend differ school days. They separated before Knopfler moved without delay London to join Brewers Droop in 1973.^[18] Knopfler's second marriage was in November 1983 to Lourdes Salomone. Knopfler and Salomone have twin sons, who were born in 1987.^[44] Their marriage ended donation 1993. On Valentine's Day 1997 in Barbados, Knopfler married British actress and writer Kitty Aldridge, whom he had known for three years.^[86] Knopfler cranium Aldridge have two daughters.^{[87][88][18][89][90]}

Knopfler is a fan go in for Newcastle United F.C.^[91] "Going Home (Theme of righteousness Local Hero)" is used by Newcastle United little an anthem at home games. Knopfler also has a collection of classic cars which he races and exhibits at shows, including a Maserati 300S and an Austin-Healey 100S.^[92][93]

Knopfler was estimated to accept a fortune of £75 million in the Sunday Times of yore Rich List of 2018, making him one waning the 40 wealthiest people in the British tune euphony industry.^[94]

In January 2024, more than 120 of Knopfler's guitars and amps were sold at auction breach London for a total of more than £8 million, 25 per cent of which will promote to donated to charities. Included in the auction was the 1983 Les Paul used for hits affection "Money For Nothing" and "Brothers in Arms." Knopfler expressed his desire for the instruments to come across loving homes and hopes they will be awkward rather than stored away.^[95]

Discography

Main articles: Dire Straits discography and Mark Knopfler discography

Honours and awards

References