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Mark Freuder Knopfler OBE (born 12 August 1949) is a Scottish guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer.
Mark Knopfler is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977 with his brother David. After Dire Straits disbanded in 1995, Knopfler continued to record and produce albums as a solo artist under his own name. Knopfler has played in other groups occasionally, such as The Notting Hillbillies, and has guested on works by other artists, including Joan Armatrading, Chet Atkins, the Chieftains, Eric Clapton, The Dandy Warhols, Bob Dylan, Bryan Ferry, John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris, Jeff Healey, Jools Holland, Sonny Landreth, Phil Lynott, Van Morrison, Gerry Rafferty and Steely Dan. He has also produced albums for such artists as Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, Willy DeVille, Randy Newman and even "Weird Al" Yankovic.
His musical scores include Metroland, Local Hero, Cal, Last Exit to Brooklyn, Wag the Dog, and Rob Reiner's classic, The Princess Bride.
He is one of the most respected fingerstyle guitarists of the modern rock era and was ranked #27 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time."
Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits have sold in excess of 120 million albums to date.
He holds three honorary Doctorates in music, in the U.K.
Life and career
1949–1976: Childhood and early life
Knopfler was born in Glasgow, Scotland, to an English mother and a Hungarian Jewish father, an architect whose anti-fascist sympathies forced him to flee the regime of his native Hungary. The family first moved to Scotland, but then settled in Knopfler's mother's home town of Blyth, in the north-east of England, when he was around 7 years old. There, he and his younger brother David attended Gosforth Grammar School, where he was inspired by his uncle Kingsley's harmonica and boogie-woogie piano playing. Later, in his teens, he wanted to buy an expensive Fiesta Red Fender Stratocaster just like Hank Marvin's, but had to settle for a £50 twin-pick-up Höfner Super Solid. During the 1960s he formed and joined anonymous schoolboy bands, and listened to singers such as Elvis Presley and guitarists Chet Atkins, Scotty Moore, B.B King, Django Reinhardt, Hank Marvin and James Burton. At age 16, he made a local TV appearance as half of a harmony duo, along with a friend from school named Sue Hercombe.
In 1967, having displayed a flair for English, Knopfler studied journalism for a year at Harlow Technical College. At the end of the course he secured a job in Leeds as a junior reporter on the Yorkshire Evening Post. Two years later, he decided to further his studies and eventually went on to graduate with a degree in English at the University of Leeds. He left his job as a reporter, and, hoping to pursue a career in music, performed with pub bands around town. He worked as a part-time lecturer at Loughton College and played with mates in a band called the Café Racers, during this period. He also played in a few bands such as Silver Heels and a duo with long-time associate UK bluesman Steve Phillips, who was later to be a member of The Notting Hillbillies. It was also in Harding's studio Bramley, Leeds, that in April 1970 Knopfler recorded a "demo" disk of an original (but unreleased) song: "Summer's Coming My Way".The song was written by Knopfler himself. Personnel on the recording were Mark Knopfler (guitar and vocals), Steve Phillips (second guitar), Dave Johnson (bass) and Paul Granger (percussion). Johnson and Granger were members of Knopfler's Silverheels group, which also included Mick Dewhirst on vocals.
Knopfler later moved to London and joined a High Wycombe-based band called Brewers Droop, appearing on the album The Booze Brothers. One night while spending some time with friends, the only guitar available was an old acoustic with a badly warped neck that had been strung with extra-light strings to make it playable. Even so, he found it impossible to play unless he finger-picked it. He said in a later interview, "That was where I found my 'voice' on guitar." Mark joined brother David in a band under the name Café Racers but also found himself another musical partner in David's flatmate, John Illsley, initially a guitarist who changed over to bass guitar and became the only other member of Dire Straits to figure throughout the band's career.
1977–1995: Dire Straits and The Notting Hillbillies
Dire Straits' first demos were done in three sessions during 1977, with Pick Withers as drummer, David Knopfler as rhythm guitarist and John Illsley on bass guitar. On 27 July 1977 they recorded the now famous demo tapes of five songs: "Wild West End", "Sultans of Swing", "Down To The Waterline", "Sacred Loving" (a David Knopfler song) and "Water of Love". In what was probably October they recorded "Southbound Again", "In The Gallery" and "Six Blade Knife" for BBC Radio London and, finally, on the 9th of November demo tapes were made of "Setting Me Up", "Eastbound Train" and "Real Girl". Many of these songs reflected Mark's experiences in Newcastle, Leeds and London, and were to be featured on their first album, the self-titled Dire Straits which was released in the following year: "Down To The Waterline" recalled images of life in Newcastle; "In The Gallery" is a tribute to a Leeds sculptor/artist named Harry Phillips, (father of Steve Phillips); and "Lions", "Wild West End" and "Eastbound Train" were all dr
awn from Mark's early days in the capital.
Initially on its release, Dire Straits received little fanfare in the UK, but when "Sultans of Swing" was released as a single it became a chart hit in The Netherlands and album sales took off across Europe and then in the United States and Canada, and finally the UK. The group's second album, Communiqué, produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett, followed in 1979, reaching number one in France while the first album was still at number three.
There were frequent personnel changes within Dire Straits after the release of their third album Making Movies, with Mark Knopfler increasingly the driving force behind the group. Released in 1980, Making Movies marked a move towards more complex arrangements and production which continued for the remainder of the group's career. The album included many of Mark Knopfler's most personal compositions, most notably "Romeo and Juliet" and "Tunnel of Love". Love over Gold followed in 1982 and included the UK #2 hit "Private Investigations", "Telegraph Road", "Industrial Disease" and "It Never Rains" as well as the title track to that album.
With Love Over Gold still in the albums charts, the band released a four-song EP titled ExtendedancEPlay in early 1983. Featuring the hit single "Twisting By the Pool", this was the first output by the band that featured new drummer Terry Williams, (formerly of Rockpile), who had replaced Pick Withers in November 1982. A world tour called followed later in 1983, and in March 1984 the double album Alchemy Live was released. Alchemy Live documented the recordings of two live shows in Hammersmith Odeon in London in July 1983, and reached number three in the UK Albums Chart.
During 1983 and 1984 Knopfler was involved with other projects as well, including writing and producing the music score to the film Local Hero which was a large success, and it was followed in 1984 by his scores for the films Cal and Comfort and Joy. Also during this time Knopfler produced Bob Dylan's Infidels album, as well as Aztec Camera and Willy DeVille; he also wrote Private Dancer for Tina Turner's comeback album of the same name.
Dire Straits' biggest studio album by far was their fifth, Brothers in Arms, recorded at Air Studios Montserrat and released in May 1985. It became an international blockbuster which has now sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, and is the fourth best selling album in UK chart history. Brothers In Arms spawned several chart singles including the US # 1 hit "Money for Nothing", which was the first video ever to be played on MTV in Britain. It was also the first compact disc to sell a million copies and is largely credited for launching the CD format as it was also one of the first DDD CDs ever released. Other successful singles were "So Far Away", "Walk of Life", and the album's title track. The band's 1985–86 world tour of over 230 shows was immensely successful.
After the Brothers in Arms tour Dire Straits went on a lengthy hiatus, with Knopfler concentrating mainly on film soundtracks. Knopfler joined the charity ensemble Ferry Aid on "Let It Be" in the wake of the Zeebrugge ferry disaster. The song reached #1 on the UK singles chart in March 1987. Knopfler wrote the music score for the film The Princess Bride which was released at the end of 1987.
Mark Knopfler also took part in a comedy skit titled "The Easy Guitar Book Sketch" with comedian Rowland Rivron and fellow British musicians David Gilmour, Lemmy from Motorhead, Mark King from Level 42, and Gary Moore. Guitar tech Phil Taylor explained in an interview that Knopfler used Gilmour's guitar rig and managed to sound like himself when performing in the skit.
Dire Straits regrouped for the 11 June 1988 Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert at Wembley Stadium, in which they were the headline act, and were accompanied by Elton John and Eric Clapton, who by this time had developed a strong friendship with Knopfler. Shortly after this, drummer Terry Williams left the band. In September 1988 Mark Knopfler announced the official dissolution of Dire Straits, saying that he "needed a rest", and in October 1988, a "best of" album, Money for Nothing, was released in October 1988 and reached number one in the United Kingdom.
In 1989 Knopfler formed The Notting Hillbillies, a band at the other end of the commercial spectrum. It leaned heavily towards American roots music - folk, blues and country music. The band members included keyboardist Guy Fletcher, with Brendan Croker and Steve Phillips. For both the album and the tour Paul Franklin was added to the line-up on pedal steel . The Notting Hillbillies sole studio album, Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time was released in 1990, and Knopfler then toured with the Notting Hillbillies for the remainder of that year. He further emphasised his country music influences with his 1990s collaboration with Chet Atkins, Neck and Neck. The Hillbillies toured the UK in early 1990 with a limited number of shows, it was strictly low key, packing out smaller venues, such as Newcastle University.
In 1990 Knopfler, John Illsley, and Alan Clark performed as Dire Straits at the Knebworth gig, joined by Eric Clapton, Ray Cooper, and guitarist Phil Palmer (who was at that time part of Eric Clapton's touring band), and in January the following 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 album accompanied by several part-time sidesmen, including Phil Palmer, Paul Franklin, percussionist Danny Cummings, and Toto drummer Jeff Porcaro.
The follow-up to Brothers In Arms was finally released in September 1991. On Every Street was nowhere near as popular as its predecessor, and met with a mixed critical reaction, with some reviewers regarding the album as an underwhelming comeback after a six year break. Nonetheless, the album sold well and reached #1 in the UK. A gruelling world tour to accompany the album followed, which lasted until the end of 1992. This was to be Dire Straits' final world tour; it was not as well received as the previous Brothers In Arms tour, and by this time Mark Knopfler had had enough of such massive operations. This drove the band into the ground, and ultimately led to the group's final dissolution in 1995.
Following the tour, Knopfler took some time off from the music business. In 1993, he received an honorary music doctorate from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Two more Dire Straits albums were released, both live albums. On the Night, released in May 1993, documented Dire Straits' final world tour. In 1995, following the release of Live at the BBC, Mark Knopfler quietly dissolved Dire Straits and launched his career as a solo artist.
Since the break-up of Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler has shown no interest in reforming the group. However, keyboardist Guy Fletcher has been associated with almost every piece of Knopfler's solo material to date, while Danny Cummings has also frequently contributed, including on Knopfler's last three solo album releases All the Roadrunning (with Emmylou Harris), Kill to Get Crimson and Get Lucky. In October 2008 Knopfler declined a suggestion by John Illsley that they should reform. Illsley said that a reunion would be "entirely up to Mark", however he also suggested that Knopfler is enjoying his continued success as a solo artist, saying that "He's doing incredibly well as a solo artist, so hats off to him. He's having a perfectly good time doing what he's doing". Knopfler meanwhile is quoted as saying "Oh, I don't know whether to start getting all that stuff back together again", and that the global fame that came his way in the 1980s "just got too big".
1996–present: Solo career
Mark Knopfler's first solo album, Golden Heart, featuring the UK single "Darling Pretty", was released in March 1996. During the recording sessions for the album the main line-up of Knopfler's backing band, also known as "The 96ers," was formed, featuring Knopfler's old bandmate Guy Fletcher on keyboards, and has lasted much longer than any Dire Straits line-up.
Also in 1996, Mark Knopfler recorded guitar for Ted Christopher's Dunblane massacre tribute cover of Knocking on Heaven's Door
In 1997 Knopfler recorded the soundtrack for the movie Wag the Dog. During that same year Rolling Stone magazine listed "Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll", which included "Sultans of Swing", Dire Straits' first hit. 2000 saw the release of Knopfler's next solo album, Sailing to Philadelphia. This has been his most successful to date, possibly helped by the number of collaborators to the album like Van Morrison.
In 2002 Mark Knopfler gave four charity concerts with former Dire Straits members John Illsley, Chris White, Danny Cummings and Guy Fletcher, playing old material from the Dire Straits years. The concerts also featured The Notting Hillbillies with Brendan Croker and Steve Phillips. At these four concerts (three of the four were at the Shepherd's Bush, the fourth 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 album, The Ragpicker's Dream. However, in March 2003 he was involved in a motorbike crash in Grosvenor Road, Belgravia and suffered a broken collarbone, broken shoulder blade and seven broken ribs. The planned Ragpicker's Dream tour was subsequently cancelled, but Knopfler recovered and was able to return to the stage in 2004 for his fourth album, Shangri-La.
Shangri-La was recorded at the Shangri-La Studio in Malibu, California in 2004, where The Band made recordings years before for their documentary/movie, The Last Waltz. In the promo for "Shangri-La" on his official website he said that his current line-up of Glenn Worf (bass), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Chad Cromwell (drums), Richard Bennett (guitar) and Matt Rollings (piano) "play Dire Straits songs better than Dire Straits did." The "Shangri-La" tour took Mark to countries like India and the United Arab Emirates for the first time. In India, his concerts at Mumbai and Bangalore were very well received, with over 20,000 fans gathering at each concert to listen to a legend many thought would never visit their country.
In November 2005 a compilation, The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations was released, consisting of material from most of Dire Straits' studio albums and Mark Knopfler's solo and soundtrack material. The album was made available in two editions: a single CD (with a grey cover) and also as double CD (with the cover in blue), and was well-received. The only previously unreleased track on the album is "All the Roadrunning", a duet with country music singer Emmylou Harris, which was followed in 2006 by an album of duets of the same name.
Released in April 2006, All the Roadrunning reached #1 in Denmark and Switzerland, #2 in Norway and Sweden, #3 in Germany, Holland and Italy, #8 in Austria and UK, #9 in Spain, #17 in the United States (Billboard Top 200 Chart), #25 in Ireland and #41 in Australia. All the Roadrunning was nominated for "Best Folk Rock/Americana Album" at the 49th Grammy Awards (11 February 2007) but lost out to Bob Dylan's nomination for Modern Times.
Joined by Emmylou Harris, Knopfler supported All the Roadrunning with a limited – 15 gigs in Europe, 1 in Canada and 8 in the USA – but highly successful tour of Europe and N America. Selections from the duo's 28 June performance at the Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, California, were released as a DVD entitled Real Live Roadrunning on 14 November 2006. In addition to several of the compositions that Harris and Knopfler recorded together in the studio, Real Live Roadrunning features solo hits from both members of the duo, as well as three tracks from Knopfler's days with Dire Straits.
A charity event in 2007 went wrong. A Fender Stratocaster guitar signed by Knopfler, Clapton, Brian May, and Jimmy Page was to be auctioned for £20,000 (or $40,000) to raise the money for a children's hospice, was lost when being shipped. It "vanished after being posted from London to Leicestershire, England." Parcelforce, the company responsible, has agreed to pay $30,000 for its loss.
Knopfler released his fifth solo studio-album Kill to Get Crimson on 14 September 2007 in Germany, 17 September in the UK and 18 September in the United States. During the autumn of 2007 he played a series of intimate 'showcases' in various European cities to promote the album. A tour of Europe and North America followed in 2008. Many older songs from the early solo days, such as Cannibals (from Golden Heart), were brought back to life. Cannibals opened up shows throughout Europe. Cannibals was received extremely well particularly in Ireland as it was released by an Irish Country Artist David Maguire in 2007. The new version of Cannibals that David Maguire and his Band released was the 7th most requested song on Irish radio that year.
Continuing a pattern of high productivity through his solo career, Knopfler began work on his next studio album, entitled Get Lucky, in September 2008 with long-time band mate Guy Fletcher, who again compiled a pictorial diary of the making of the album on his website. The album was released on September 14 the following year and Knopfler is currently on an extensive tour across Europe and America. The album met with moderate success on the charts (much of it in Europe) reaching #1 only in Norway but peaking in the Top 5 in most major European countries (Germany, Italy, Holland). The album peaked at #2 on the Billboard European Album chart and at #5 on the Billboard Rock Album chart.
Knopfler is a member of the Garrick Club in London and played an intimate solo gig there in February 2009.
In 2010, Knopfler appeared on the newest Thomas Dolby release, the EP "Amerikana". Knopfler performed on the track "17 Hills."
Country music
In addition to his work in Dire Straits and solo, Mark Knopfler has made several contributions to country music. In 1988 he formed country-focused band The Notting Hillbillies, with Guy Fletcher, Brendan Croker and Steve Phillips. The Notting Hillbillies sole studio album, Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time was released in 1990 and featured the minor hit single "Your Own Sweet Way". Knopfler further emphasised his country music influences with his collaboration with Chet Atkins, Neck and Neck, which was also released in 1990. "Poor Boy Blues", taken from that collaboration, peaked at #92.
Knopfler's other contributions 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 Dire Straits song "The Bug". Randy Travis released another of Knopfler's songs, "Are We In Trouble Now", in 1996. In that same year, Knopfler's solo single "Darling Pretty" reached a peak of #87.
Knopfler is featured on Kris Kristofferson's album "The Austin Sessions", (on the track "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends") released in 1999 by Atlantic Records.
In 2006 Knopfler and Emmylou Harris made a country album together titled All the Roadrunning. Knopfler also charted two singles on the Canadian country music singles chart.
Personal life
Mark Knopfler has been married three times.
While he was living in Leeds he married Kathy White, his long-time girlfriend from school days. They separated before Knopfler moved to London to join Brewers Droop.
Knopfler married for the second time in November 1983, to Lourdes Salomone, and became a father to twin sons, Benji and Joseph in 1987, both of whom he has said are talented musically, and aspiring musicians. Knopfler's marriage to Salomone ended in 1993.
Knopfler's third marriage is to actress Kitty Aldridge, and has given him two daughters Isabella (born 1998) and Katya Ruby Rose (born 2003). The family currently lives in Chelsea.
Musical style and equipment
Mark Knopfler is left-handed, but plays right-handed, and fingerpicks (using a personal variant of the clawhammer style) instead of using a plectrum (i.e., "pick"). Fingerpicking is usually associated with the acoustic guitar, but Knopfler usually (though not always) plays an electric guitar. Knopfler revealed during a French interview that he uses a pick for his rhythm work during recording sessions. Knopfler surprised the interviewer by pulling a pick out of his pocket and saying that he usually carries one. Knopfler has long favoured Fender Telecaster and Stratocaster style guitars. Fender carries a Mark Knopfler Artist Series Stratocaster. During the 1980s Knopfler came to appreciate the tone of the Gibson Les Paul and his original 1958 has been used regularly in the studio and on stage.
Guitars
Knopfler has approximated that he now owns "around 70 guitars". They include:
• Pensa Custom MKII A custom Pensa Guitar given to Knopfler by his friend, Rudy Pensa, in 2005.
• Pensa custom-built solid body guitars, the model MK-1 MK-2 & MK-80, are named in honour of Knopfler.
• Red-painted (Stratocaster style) Melancon Pro Artist.
• Hofner V-2 (Mark's first guitar)
• Fender Stratocasters including a Fiesta Red '62 and a 1954 sunburst (one of the first ever produced) which he has named "Jurassic Strat"
• Gibson Les Paul Special (used in the 1970s)
• National Tricone, from 1928
• National Style O Resonator guitar, from 1937 as used on "Romeo and Juliet". A replica of which is now available from National Resophonic Guitars.
• Fender 1952 Telecaster.
• Burns Baldwin, 12-strings (Angel of Mercy, later used on the Get Lucky album)
• Ovation Acoustic
• Schecter Telecaster and Stratocaster models. (Used 1980-)
• Rickenbacker 425 (Used on Portobello Belle, later on The Ragpicker's Dream session)
• Fernandes Stratocaster
• Ovation Adams (Love Over Gold-session, later used on the Brothers in Arms-tour)
• Gibson Chet Atkins (Love Over Gold album)
• Erlewine Automatic (Industrial Disease)
• C. F. Martin & Company Martin Acoustics, Model HD-40MK and 000-40S Mark Knopfler, he also used a Martin 00028 on "Brothers in Arms".
• Gibson SG (Two Young Lovers, Alchemy tour)
• Gibson Les Pauls 3 models: 1984, 1958, 1959
• Pensa-Suhr R Custom, Knopfler's first Pensa. Used on the Brothers in Arms album (Ride Across the River and So far Away)
• Gretsch (2 or 3 models): Super Chet and 6120 (Bought during 80's, used on Knopfler's solo album)
• Steinberger GL2 (Brothers in Arms tour)
• Beltona Electro Resonator
• Flamed Pensa: 3 models, used the first in late 80's
• Gibson J45 (On Every Street album)
• Gibson Super 400 (Used on the On Every Street session and tour)
• Godin L.R. Baggs (Used by Phil Palmer and Mark Knpofler on the last DS tour)
• Red Pensa (On Every Street tour)
• Ramirez Spanish Guitar, used during and after the last DS-tour
• Black Pensa-Suhr (Golden Heart session and tour)
• Acoustic 12-string guitar (?) (Sailing to Philadelphia session)
• Gibson ES-335
• National Triplate, from 1930 (Shangri-La session-)
• Danelectro Silvertone
• Gibson Southerner
• Fender Jazzmaster
• Eko 700
• Teisco Spectrum, 2 models
• Danelectro 59 DC
• Fender Duo Sonic 11 (Kill to Get Crimson Session)
• Gibson Advanced Jumbo
• Gibson ES-330
• NS 14, Steve Phillips (Get Lucky session)
• Monteleone Isabella
• Don Grosh Electrajet
• Gibson Dove
Effects
Throughout his career Knopfler has used a wide selection of effect pedals in the studio and during live performances. Here is a list of some of his effects:
• Alesis Quadraverb
• BOSS BF-2 Flanger
• BOSS CE-2 Chorus
• BOSS CE-300 Chorus
• BOSS CS-2 Compressor
• BOSS DM-2 Delay
• MXR Micro Amp
• BOSS OC-2 Octaver
• BOSS PH-2 Phaser
• DeltaLab Digital Delay
• Ibanez UE 303 Multi Effect
• Lexicon 300 Reverb
• Mantec Preamp
• Master Room Reverb
• Morley Volume Pedal
• Mic-Mix Dyna-Flanger
• MXR Analog Delay
• Roland Graphic Equalizer
• Roland SRE 555 Chorus/Echo
• Yamaha REV 5
• Zoom Multieffect 9010
Amplifiers
Knopfler has often used many different combinations of amplifiers and cabinets to create his desired sounds.
• Crate VC5212 amplifier
• Crate 2x12 cabinet
• Fender Concert
• Fender Vibrolux
• Fender Twin Reverb
• Gallien & Krueger amplifier
• Jim Kelley combo
• Jim Kelley heads
• Komet amplifiers
• Marshall JTM heads
• Marshall 4x12 cabinet • Mesa Boogie heads
• Music Man HD 130
• Soldano SLO 100
• Roland Jazz Chorus
• Vox AC30
On the "Get Lucky" tour in 2010, Knopfler is using a pair of custom built Reinhardt guitar amp heads with matching cabinets, and a Tone King combo in between that is used on some songs.
Live performance
• Knopfler has been known to sip tea on stage during live performances. Richard Bennett who has been playing with him on tour since 1996, has also joined in drinking tea with him on stage. photo On 31 July 2005, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, BC, the tea was replaced with whiskey as a "last show of tour" sort of joke.
Awards and acclaim
• The Edison Award was awarded to Mark Knopfler for Outstanding Achievements in the Music Industry, the highest award for musicians in the Netherlands.
• Grammy Awards 1986 – Best Country Instrumental Performance with Chet Atkins (for Cosmic Square Dance)
• Grammy Awards 1991 – Best Country Vocal Collaboration with Chet Atkins (for Poor Boy Blues')
• Grammy Awards 1991 – Best Country Instrumental Performance with Chet Atkins (for So Soft, Your Goodbye)
• In 1993, Knopfler was made an honorary Doctor of Music at Newcastle University.
• In 1999, Knopfler was made an OBE.
• In Summer 1995, Knopfler was made an honorary Doctor of Music at the University of Leeds.
• In 2001, the Masiakasaurus knopfleri (a species of dinosaur) was named after him by scientists who had listened to his music while digging the fossils.
• On 11 July 2007, Knopfler was made an honorary Doctor of Music at Sunderland University.
• Knopfler along with his band Dire Straits won the 1986 Grammy award for "Best rock performance by a duo or group with vocal" for their song "Money for Nothing."
• In February 2009, Knopfler's British Grove Studios was the winner of the Music Producers Guild Award for 'Best Studio'.
• Steiger Award, 12 March 2011.
Nominations
• Grammy Awards 1986 – Song of the Year (songwriter) (for 'Money for Nothing')
• Grammy Awards 1992 – Best Country Instrumental Performance with Chet Atkins (for 'Neck and Neck')
• Grammy Awards 2007 – Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album with Emmylou Harris (for 'All the Roadrunning')
Knopfler's influence
• Played together with Dire Straits' drummer Pick Withers on Bob Dylan's studio album Slow Train Coming, which was recorded in May 1979 and released 20 August; providing Dylan with what Dylan considered his best guitar backing since the days of Mike Bloomfield and Robbie Robertson. Knopfler also played in and co-produced Dylan's 1983 album Infidels.
• British author and humorist Douglas Adams said about Knopfler, in his book So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish: "Mark Knopfler has an extraordinary ability to make a Schecter Custom Stratocaster hoot and sing like angels on a Saturday night, exhausted from being good all week and needing a stiff drink."
• The dinosaur species Masiakasaurus knopfleri was named after Knopfler. The palaeontologists were listening to Dire Straits recordings when they discovered the species.
• On "Weird Al" Yankovic's parody of "Money for Nothing", "Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies*", which merges the instrumentals of "Money For Nothing" with the lyrics to the theme song for the American television series The Beverly Hillbillies ("The Ballad of Jed Clampett"), Knopfler played guitar in the song, recreating the memorable guitar riff from the original song. He would only allow Yankovic to parody the song if he was allowed to play on the recording.
• Knopfler's song "Going Home" from the soundtrack to Local Hero is played before kick-off at Newcastle United's home matches at St James' Park.[52]
• "Going Home" is also the theme music for John Stanley on Sydney radio station 2UE.
• According to director Rob Reiner, Knopfler agreed to write the music for Reiner's The Princess Bride on one condition: Reiner had to put the hat that he wore in This Is Spinal Tap in Princess Bride, "somewhere in evidence", as homage to the rock mockumentary. The hat makes its appearance in Princess Bride in the Grandson's (Fred Savage) bedroom.
• Indian cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar is a fan of Mark Knopfler. They once had a joint interview on cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle's show Harsha Online.
• The 2008 stage production Celtic Thunder has covers of multiple Mark Knopfler songs. "Brothers in Arms", written by Mark Knopfler and performed originally by Dire Straits, is performed by Ryan Kelly. As well, the song "Irish Boy" (from Cal) and "Going Home" (from Local Hero) are performed together as an instrumental, entitled "Cal/Local Hero".
Discography
With Dire Straits
Solo albums
Golden Heart
• Released: 26 March 1996
• Format: CD
• Label: Vertigo Records, Warner Bros. Records (USA)
• Producer: Mark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlay
• Singles: "Darling Pretty", "Cannibals", "Rüdiger", "Golden Heart" (promo), "Imelda" (promo), "Don't You Get It" (promo)
Sailing to Philadelphia
• Released: 26 September 2000
• Format: CD
• Label: Mercury, Vertigo, Warner Bros.
• Producer: Mark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlay
• Singles: "What It Is", "Sailing to Philadelphia", "Silvertown Blues"
The Ragpicker's Dream
• Released: 30 September 2002
• Format: CD & LP
• Label: Mercury
• Producer: Mark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlay
• Singles: "Why Aye Man", "Quality Shoe" (promo), "Devil Baby" (promo), "Hill Farmer Blues" (promo), "You Don't Know You're Born" (promo)
Shangri-La
• Released: 28 September 2004
• Format: CD & LP
• Label: Mercury
• Producer: Mark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlay
• Singles: "Boom, Like That", "The Trawlerman's Song"
One Take Radio Sessions
• Released: 21 June 2005
• Format: CD
• Label: Warner Bros. Records
• Producer: Mark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlay
The Trawlerman's Song EP
• Released: 2005
• Format: CD
• Label: Mercury
• Producer: Mark Knopfler
• Tracks: "The Trawlerman's Song", "Back to Tupelo", "Song for Sonny Liston", "Boom, Like That", "Donegan's Gone", "Stand Up Guy"
The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations
• Released: 2005
• Format: CD & LP
• Label: Mercury
• Singles: "All The Roadrunning" (promo), "This Is Us" (promo), "Beachcombing" (promo)
Kill to Get Crimson
• Released: 17 September 2007
• Format: CD & LP
• Label: Mercury
• Singles: "True Love Will Never Fade", "Punish The Monkey"
Get Lucky
• Released: 14 September 2009
• Format: CD & LP
• Label: Mercury
• Singles: "Border Reiver", "Remembrance Day"
Soundtrack albums
Local Hero
• Released: March, 1983
• Label: Warner Bros. Records
• Producer: Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977 with his brother David. After Dire Straits disbanded in 1995, Knopfler continued to record and produce albums as a solo artist under his own name. Knopfler has played in other groups occasionally, such as The Notting Hillbillies, and has guested on works by other artists, including Joan Armatrading, Chet Atkins, the Chieftains, Eric Clapton, The Dandy Warhols, Bob Dylan, Bryan Ferry, John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris, Jeff Healey, Jools Holland, Sonny Landreth, Phil Lynott, Van Morrison, Gerry Rafferty and Steely Dan. He has also produced albums for such artists as Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, Willy DeVille, Randy Newman and even "Weird Al" Yankovic.
His musical scores include Metroland, Local Hero, Cal, Last Exit to Brooklyn, Wag the Dog, and Rob Reiner's classic, The Princess Bride.
He is one of the most respected fingerstyle guitarists of the modern rock era and was ranked #27 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time."
Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits have sold in excess of 120 million albums to date.
He holds three honorary Doctorates in music, in the U.K.
Life and career
1949–1976: Childhood and early life
Knopfler was born in Glasgow, Scotland, to an English mother and a Hungarian Jewish father, an architect whose anti-fascist sympathies forced him to flee the regime of his native Hungary. The family first moved to Scotland, but then settled in Knopfler's mother's home town of Blyth, in the north-east of England, when he was around 7 years old. There, he and his younger brother David attended Gosforth Grammar School, where he was inspired by his uncle Kingsley's harmonica and boogie-woogie piano playing. Later, in his teens, he wanted to buy an expensive Fiesta Red Fender Stratocaster just like Hank Marvin's, but had to settle for a £50 twin-pick-up Höfner Super Solid. During the 1960s he formed and joined anonymous schoolboy bands, and listened to singers such as Elvis Presley and guitarists Chet Atkins, Scotty Moore, B.B King, Django Reinhardt, Hank Marvin and James Burton. At age 16, he made a local TV appearance as half of a harmony duo, along with a friend from school named Sue Hercombe.
In 1967, having displayed a flair for English, Knopfler studied journalism for a year at Harlow Technical College. At the end of the course he secured a job in Leeds as a junior reporter on the Yorkshire Evening Post. Two years later, he decided to further his studies and eventually went on to graduate with a degree in English at the University of Leeds. He left his job as a reporter, and, hoping to pursue a career in music, performed with pub bands around town. He worked as a part-time lecturer at Loughton College and played with mates in a band called the Café Racers, during this period. He also played in a few bands such as Silver Heels and a duo with long-time associate UK bluesman Steve Phillips, who was later to be a member of The Notting Hillbillies. It was also in Harding's studio Bramley, Leeds, that in April 1970 Knopfler recorded a "demo" disk of an original (but unreleased) song: "Summer's Coming My Way".The song was written by Knopfler himself. Personnel on the recording were Mark Knopfler (guitar and vocals), Steve Phillips (second guitar), Dave Johnson (bass) and Paul Granger (percussion). Johnson and Granger were members of Knopfler's Silverheels group, which also included Mick Dewhirst on vocals.
Knopfler later moved to London and joined a High Wycombe-based band called Brewers Droop, appearing on the album The Booze Brothers. One night while spending some time with friends, the only guitar available was an old acoustic with a badly warped neck that had been strung with extra-light strings to make it playable. Even so, he found it impossible to play unless he finger-picked it. He said in a later interview, "That was where I found my 'voice' on guitar." Mark joined brother David in a band under the name Café Racers but also found himself another musical partner in David's flatmate, John Illsley, initially a guitarist who changed over to bass guitar and became the only other member of Dire Straits to figure throughout the band's career.
1977–1995: Dire Straits and The Notting Hillbillies
Dire Straits' first demos were done in three sessions during 1977, with Pick Withers as drummer, David Knopfler as rhythm guitarist and John Illsley on bass guitar. On 27 July 1977 they recorded the now famous demo tapes of five songs: "Wild West End", "Sultans of Swing", "Down To The Waterline", "Sacred Loving" (a David Knopfler song) and "Water of Love". In what was probably October they recorded "Southbound Again", "In The Gallery" and "Six Blade Knife" for BBC Radio London and, finally, on the 9th of November demo tapes were made of "Setting Me Up", "Eastbound Train" and "Real Girl". Many of these songs reflected Mark's experiences in Newcastle, Leeds and London, and were to be featured on their first album, the self-titled Dire Straits which was released in the following year: "Down To The Waterline" recalled images of life in Newcastle; "In The Gallery" is a tribute to a Leeds sculptor/artist named Harry Phillips, (father of Steve Phillips); and "Lions", "Wild West End" and "Eastbound Train" were all dr
awn from Mark's early days in the capital.
Initially on its release, Dire Straits received little fanfare in the UK, but when "Sultans of Swing" was released as a single it became a chart hit in The Netherlands and album sales took off across Europe and then in the United States and Canada, and finally the UK. The group's second album, Communiqué, produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett, followed in 1979, reaching number one in France while the first album was still at number three.
There were frequent personnel changes within Dire Straits after the release of their third album Making Movies, with Mark Knopfler increasingly the driving force behind the group. Released in 1980, Making Movies marked a move towards more complex arrangements and production which continued for the remainder of the group's career. The album included many of Mark Knopfler's most personal compositions, most notably "Romeo and Juliet" and "Tunnel of Love". Love over Gold followed in 1982 and included the UK #2 hit "Private Investigations", "Telegraph Road", "Industrial Disease" and "It Never Rains" as well as the title track to that album.
With Love Over Gold still in the albums charts, the band released a four-song EP titled ExtendedancEPlay in early 1983. Featuring the hit single "Twisting By the Pool", this was the first output by the band that featured new drummer Terry Williams, (formerly of Rockpile), who had replaced Pick Withers in November 1982. A world tour called followed later in 1983, and in March 1984 the double album Alchemy Live was released. Alchemy Live documented the recordings of two live shows in Hammersmith Odeon in London in July 1983, and reached number three in the UK Albums Chart.
During 1983 and 1984 Knopfler was involved with other projects as well, including writing and producing the music score to the film Local Hero which was a large success, and it was followed in 1984 by his scores for the films Cal and Comfort and Joy. Also during this time Knopfler produced Bob Dylan's Infidels album, as well as Aztec Camera and Willy DeVille; he also wrote Private Dancer for Tina Turner's comeback album of the same name.
Dire Straits' biggest studio album by far was their fifth, Brothers in Arms, recorded at Air Studios Montserrat and released in May 1985. It became an international blockbuster which has now sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, and is the fourth best selling album in UK chart history. Brothers In Arms spawned several chart singles including the US # 1 hit "Money for Nothing", which was the first video ever to be played on MTV in Britain. It was also the first compact disc to sell a million copies and is largely credited for launching the CD format as it was also one of the first DDD CDs ever released. Other successful singles were "So Far Away", "Walk of Life", and the album's title track. The band's 1985–86 world tour of over 230 shows was immensely successful.
After the Brothers in Arms tour Dire Straits went on a lengthy hiatus, with Knopfler concentrating mainly on film soundtracks. Knopfler joined the charity ensemble Ferry Aid on "Let It Be" in the wake of the Zeebrugge ferry disaster. The song reached #1 on the UK singles chart in March 1987. Knopfler wrote the music score for the film The Princess Bride which was released at the end of 1987.
Mark Knopfler also took part in a comedy skit titled "The Easy Guitar Book Sketch" with comedian Rowland Rivron and fellow British musicians David Gilmour, Lemmy from Motorhead, Mark King from Level 42, and Gary Moore. Guitar tech Phil Taylor explained in an interview that Knopfler used Gilmour's guitar rig and managed to sound like himself when performing in the skit.
Dire Straits regrouped for the 11 June 1988 Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert at Wembley Stadium, in which they were the headline act, and were accompanied by Elton John and Eric Clapton, who by this time had developed a strong friendship with Knopfler. Shortly after this, drummer Terry Williams left the band. In September 1988 Mark Knopfler announced the official dissolution of Dire Straits, saying that he "needed a rest", and in October 1988, a "best of" album, Money for Nothing, was released in October 1988 and reached number one in the United Kingdom.
In 1989 Knopfler formed The Notting Hillbillies, a band at the other end of the commercial spectrum. It leaned heavily towards American roots music - folk, blues and country music. The band members included keyboardist Guy Fletcher, with Brendan Croker and Steve Phillips. For both the album and the tour Paul Franklin was added to the line-up on pedal steel . The Notting Hillbillies sole studio album, Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time was released in 1990, and Knopfler then toured with the Notting Hillbillies for the remainder of that year. He further emphasised his country music influences with his 1990s collaboration with Chet Atkins, Neck and Neck. The Hillbillies toured the UK in early 1990 with a limited number of shows, it was strictly low key, packing out smaller venues, such as Newcastle University.
In 1990 Knopfler, John Illsley, and Alan Clark performed as Dire Straits at the Knebworth gig, joined by Eric Clapton, Ray Cooper, and guitarist Phil Palmer (who was at that time part of Eric Clapton's touring band), and in January the following 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 album accompanied by several part-time sidesmen, including Phil Palmer, Paul Franklin, percussionist Danny Cummings, and Toto drummer Jeff Porcaro.
The follow-up to Brothers In Arms was finally released in September 1991. On Every Street was nowhere near as popular as its predecessor, and met with a mixed critical reaction, with some reviewers regarding the album as an underwhelming comeback after a six year break. Nonetheless, the album sold well and reached #1 in the UK. A gruelling world tour to accompany the album followed, which lasted until the end of 1992. This was to be Dire Straits' final world tour; it was not as well received as the previous Brothers In Arms tour, and by this time Mark Knopfler had had enough of such massive operations. This drove the band into the ground, and ultimately led to the group's final dissolution in 1995.
Following the tour, Knopfler took some time off from the music business. In 1993, he received an honorary music doctorate from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Two more Dire Straits albums were released, both live albums. On the Night, released in May 1993, documented Dire Straits' final world tour. In 1995, following the release of Live at the BBC, Mark Knopfler quietly dissolved Dire Straits and launched his career as a solo artist.
Since the break-up of Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler has shown no interest in reforming the group. However, keyboardist Guy Fletcher has been associated with almost every piece of Knopfler's solo material to date, while Danny Cummings has also frequently contributed, including on Knopfler's last three solo album releases All the Roadrunning (with Emmylou Harris), Kill to Get Crimson and Get Lucky. In October 2008 Knopfler declined a suggestion by John Illsley that they should reform. Illsley said that a reunion would be "entirely up to Mark", however he also suggested that Knopfler is enjoying his continued success as a solo artist, saying that "He's doing incredibly well as a solo artist, so hats off to him. He's having a perfectly good time doing what he's doing". Knopfler meanwhile is quoted as saying "Oh, I don't know whether to start getting all that stuff back together again", and that the global fame that came his way in the 1980s "just got too big".
1996–present: Solo career
Mark Knopfler's first solo album, Golden Heart, featuring the UK single "Darling Pretty", was released in March 1996. During the recording sessions for the album the main line-up of Knopfler's backing band, also known as "The 96ers," was formed, featuring Knopfler's old bandmate Guy Fletcher on keyboards, and has lasted much longer than any Dire Straits line-up.
Also in 1996, Mark Knopfler recorded guitar for Ted Christopher's Dunblane massacre tribute cover of Knocking on Heaven's Door
In 1997 Knopfler recorded the soundtrack for the movie Wag the Dog. During that same year Rolling Stone magazine listed "Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll", which included "Sultans of Swing", Dire Straits' first hit. 2000 saw the release of Knopfler's next solo album, Sailing to Philadelphia. This has been his most successful to date, possibly helped by the number of collaborators to the album like Van Morrison.
In 2002 Mark Knopfler gave four charity concerts with former Dire Straits members John Illsley, Chris White, Danny Cummings and Guy Fletcher, playing old material from the Dire Straits years. The concerts also featured The Notting Hillbillies with Brendan Croker and Steve Phillips. At these four concerts (three of the four were at the Shepherd's Bush, the fourth 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 album, The Ragpicker's Dream. However, in March 2003 he was involved in a motorbike crash in Grosvenor Road, Belgravia and suffered a broken collarbone, broken shoulder blade and seven broken ribs. The planned Ragpicker's Dream tour was subsequently cancelled, but Knopfler recovered and was able to return to the stage in 2004 for his fourth album, Shangri-La.
Shangri-La was recorded at the Shangri-La Studio in Malibu, California in 2004, where The Band made recordings years before for their documentary/movie, The Last Waltz. In the promo for "Shangri-La" on his official website he said that his current line-up of Glenn Worf (bass), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Chad Cromwell (drums), Richard Bennett (guitar) and Matt Rollings (piano) "play Dire Straits songs better than Dire Straits did." The "Shangri-La" tour took Mark to countries like India and the United Arab Emirates for the first time. In India, his concerts at Mumbai and Bangalore were very well received, with over 20,000 fans gathering at each concert to listen to a legend many thought would never visit their country.
In November 2005 a compilation, The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations was released, consisting of material from most of Dire Straits' studio albums and Mark Knopfler's solo and soundtrack material. The album was made available in two editions: a single CD (with a grey cover) and also as double CD (with the cover in blue), and was well-received. The only previously unreleased track on the album is "All the Roadrunning", a duet with country music singer Emmylou Harris, which was followed in 2006 by an album of duets of the same name.
Released in April 2006, All the Roadrunning reached #1 in Denmark and Switzerland, #2 in Norway and Sweden, #3 in Germany, Holland and Italy, #8 in Austria and UK, #9 in Spain, #17 in the United States (Billboard Top 200 Chart), #25 in Ireland and #41 in Australia. All the Roadrunning was nominated for "Best Folk Rock/Americana Album" at the 49th Grammy Awards (11 February 2007) but lost out to Bob Dylan's nomination for Modern Times.
Joined by Emmylou Harris, Knopfler supported All the Roadrunning with a limited – 15 gigs in Europe, 1 in Canada and 8 in the USA – but highly successful tour of Europe and N America. Selections from the duo's 28 June performance at the Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, California, were released as a DVD entitled Real Live Roadrunning on 14 November 2006. In addition to several of the compositions that Harris and Knopfler recorded together in the studio, Real Live Roadrunning features solo hits from both members of the duo, as well as three tracks from Knopfler's days with Dire Straits.
A charity event in 2007 went wrong. A Fender Stratocaster guitar signed by Knopfler, Clapton, Brian May, and Jimmy Page was to be auctioned for £20,000 (or $40,000) to raise the money for a children's hospice, was lost when being shipped. It "vanished after being posted from London to Leicestershire, England." Parcelforce, the company responsible, has agreed to pay $30,000 for its loss.
Knopfler released his fifth solo studio-album Kill to Get Crimson on 14 September 2007 in Germany, 17 September in the UK and 18 September in the United States. During the autumn of 2007 he played a series of intimate 'showcases' in various European cities to promote the album. A tour of Europe and North America followed in 2008. Many older songs from the early solo days, such as Cannibals (from Golden Heart), were brought back to life. Cannibals opened up shows throughout Europe. Cannibals was received extremely well particularly in Ireland as it was released by an Irish Country Artist David Maguire in 2007. The new version of Cannibals that David Maguire and his Band released was the 7th most requested song on Irish radio that year.
Continuing a pattern of high productivity through his solo career, Knopfler began work on his next studio album, entitled Get Lucky, in September 2008 with long-time band mate Guy Fletcher, who again compiled a pictorial diary of the making of the album on his website. The album was released on September 14 the following year and Knopfler is currently on an extensive tour across Europe and America. The album met with moderate success on the charts (much of it in Europe) reaching #1 only in Norway but peaking in the Top 5 in most major European countries (Germany, Italy, Holland). The album peaked at #2 on the Billboard European Album chart and at #5 on the Billboard Rock Album chart.
Knopfler is a member of the Garrick Club in London and played an intimate solo gig there in February 2009.
In 2010, Knopfler appeared on the newest Thomas Dolby release, the EP "Amerikana". Knopfler performed on the track "17 Hills."
Country music
In addition to his work in Dire Straits and solo, Mark Knopfler has made several contributions to country music. In 1988 he formed country-focused band The Notting Hillbillies, with Guy Fletcher, Brendan Croker and Steve Phillips. The Notting Hillbillies sole studio album, Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time was released in 1990 and featured the minor hit single "Your Own Sweet Way". Knopfler further emphasised his country music influences with his collaboration with Chet Atkins, Neck and Neck, which was also released in 1990. "Poor Boy Blues", taken from that collaboration, peaked at #92.
Knopfler's other contributions 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 Dire Straits song "The Bug". Randy Travis released another of Knopfler's songs, "Are We In Trouble Now", in 1996. In that same year, Knopfler's solo single "Darling Pretty" reached a peak of #87.
Knopfler is featured on Kris Kristofferson's album "The Austin Sessions", (on the track "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends") released in 1999 by Atlantic Records.
In 2006 Knopfler and Emmylou Harris made a country album together titled All the Roadrunning. Knopfler also charted two singles on the Canadian country music singles chart.
Personal life
Mark Knopfler has been married three times.
While he was living in Leeds he married Kathy White, his long-time girlfriend from school days. They separated before Knopfler moved to London to join Brewers Droop.
Knopfler married for the second time in November 1983, to Lourdes Salomone, and became a father to twin sons, Benji and Joseph in 1987, both of whom he has said are talented musically, and aspiring musicians. Knopfler's marriage to Salomone ended in 1993.
Knopfler's third marriage is to actress Kitty Aldridge, and has given him two daughters Isabella (born 1998) and Katya Ruby Rose (born 2003). The family currently lives in Chelsea.
Musical style and equipment
Mark Knopfler is left-handed, but plays right-handed, and fingerpicks (using a personal variant of the clawhammer style) instead of using a plectrum (i.e., "pick"). Fingerpicking is usually associated with the acoustic guitar, but Knopfler usually (though not always) plays an electric guitar. Knopfler revealed during a French interview that he uses a pick for his rhythm work during recording sessions. Knopfler surprised the interviewer by pulling a pick out of his pocket and saying that he usually carries one. Knopfler has long favoured Fender Telecaster and Stratocaster style guitars. Fender carries a Mark Knopfler Artist Series Stratocaster. During the 1980s Knopfler came to appreciate the tone of the Gibson Les Paul and his original 1958 has been used regularly in the studio and on stage.
Guitars
Knopfler has approximated that he now owns "around 70 guitars". They include:
• Pensa Custom MKII A custom Pensa Guitar given to Knopfler by his friend, Rudy Pensa, in 2005.
• Pensa custom-built solid body guitars, the model MK-1 MK-2 & MK-80, are named in honour of Knopfler.
• Red-painted (Stratocaster style) Melancon Pro Artist.
• Hofner V-2 (Mark's first guitar)
• Fender Stratocasters including a Fiesta Red '62 and a 1954 sunburst (one of the first ever produced) which he has named "Jurassic Strat"
• Gibson Les Paul Special (used in the 1970s)
• National Tricone, from 1928
• National Style O Resonator guitar, from 1937 as used on "Romeo and Juliet". A replica of which is now available from National Resophonic Guitars.
• Fender 1952 Telecaster.
• Burns Baldwin, 12-strings (Angel of Mercy, later used on the Get Lucky album)
• Ovation Acoustic
• Schecter Telecaster and Stratocaster models. (Used 1980-)
• Rickenbacker 425 (Used on Portobello Belle, later on The Ragpicker's Dream session)
• Fernandes Stratocaster
• Ovation Adams (Love Over Gold-session, later used on the Brothers in Arms-tour)
• Gibson Chet Atkins (Love Over Gold album)
• Erlewine Automatic (Industrial Disease)
• C. F. Martin & Company Martin Acoustics, Model HD-40MK and 000-40S Mark Knopfler, he also used a Martin 00028 on "Brothers in Arms".
• Gibson SG (Two Young Lovers, Alchemy tour)
• Gibson Les Pauls 3 models: 1984, 1958, 1959
• Pensa-Suhr R Custom, Knopfler's first Pensa. Used on the Brothers in Arms album (Ride Across the River and So far Away)
• Gretsch (2 or 3 models): Super Chet and 6120 (Bought during 80's, used on Knopfler's solo album)
• Steinberger GL2 (Brothers in Arms tour)
• Beltona Electro Resonator
• Flamed Pensa: 3 models, used the first in late 80's
• Gibson J45 (On Every Street album)
• Gibson Super 400 (Used on the On Every Street session and tour)
• Godin L.R. Baggs (Used by Phil Palmer and Mark Knpofler on the last DS tour)
• Red Pensa (On Every Street tour)
• Ramirez Spanish Guitar, used during and after the last DS-tour
• Black Pensa-Suhr (Golden Heart session and tour)
• Acoustic 12-string guitar (?) (Sailing to Philadelphia session)
• Gibson ES-335
• National Triplate, from 1930 (Shangri-La session-)
• Danelectro Silvertone
• Gibson Southerner
• Fender Jazzmaster
• Eko 700
• Teisco Spectrum, 2 models
• Danelectro 59 DC
• Fender Duo Sonic 11 (Kill to Get Crimson Session)
• Gibson Advanced Jumbo
• Gibson ES-330
• NS 14, Steve Phillips (Get Lucky session)
• Monteleone Isabella
• Don Grosh Electrajet
• Gibson Dove
Effects
Throughout his career Knopfler has used a wide selection of effect pedals in the studio and during live performances. Here is a list of some of his effects:
• Alesis Quadraverb
• BOSS BF-2 Flanger
• BOSS CE-2 Chorus
• BOSS CE-300 Chorus
• BOSS CS-2 Compressor
• BOSS DM-2 Delay
• MXR Micro Amp
• BOSS OC-2 Octaver
• BOSS PH-2 Phaser
• DeltaLab Digital Delay
• Ibanez UE 303 Multi Effect
• Lexicon 300 Reverb
• Mantec Preamp
• Master Room Reverb
• Morley Volume Pedal
• Mic-Mix Dyna-Flanger
• MXR Analog Delay
• Roland Graphic Equalizer
• Roland SRE 555 Chorus/Echo
• Yamaha REV 5
• Zoom Multieffect 9010
Amplifiers
Knopfler has often used many different combinations of amplifiers and cabinets to create his desired sounds.
• Crate VC5212 amplifier
• Crate 2x12 cabinet
• Fender Concert
• Fender Vibrolux
• Fender Twin Reverb
• Gallien & Krueger amplifier
• Jim Kelley combo
• Jim Kelley heads
• Komet amplifiers
• Marshall JTM heads
• Marshall 4x12 cabinet • Mesa Boogie heads
• Music Man HD 130
• Soldano SLO 100
• Roland Jazz Chorus
• Vox AC30
On the "Get Lucky" tour in 2010, Knopfler is using a pair of custom built Reinhardt guitar amp heads with matching cabinets, and a Tone King combo in between that is used on some songs.
Live performance
• Knopfler has been known to sip tea on stage during live performances. Richard Bennett who has been playing with him on tour since 1996, has also joined in drinking tea with him on stage. photo On 31 July 2005, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, BC, the tea was replaced with whiskey as a "last show of tour" sort of joke.
Awards and acclaim
• The Edison Award was awarded to Mark Knopfler for Outstanding Achievements in the Music Industry, the highest award for musicians in the Netherlands.
• Grammy Awards 1986 – Best Country Instrumental Performance with Chet Atkins (for Cosmic Square Dance)
• Grammy Awards 1991 – Best Country Vocal Collaboration with Chet Atkins (for Poor Boy Blues')
• Grammy Awards 1991 – Best Country Instrumental Performance with Chet Atkins (for So Soft, Your Goodbye)
• In 1993, Knopfler was made an honorary Doctor of Music at Newcastle University.
• In 1999, Knopfler was made an OBE.
• In Summer 1995, Knopfler was made an honorary Doctor of Music at the University of Leeds.
• In 2001, the Masiakasaurus knopfleri (a species of dinosaur) was named after him by scientists who had listened to his music while digging the fossils.
• On 11 July 2007, Knopfler was made an honorary Doctor of Music at Sunderland University.
• Knopfler along with his band Dire Straits won the 1986 Grammy award for "Best rock performance by a duo or group with vocal" for their song "Money for Nothing."
• In February 2009, Knopfler's British Grove Studios was the winner of the Music Producers Guild Award for 'Best Studio'.
• Steiger Award, 12 March 2011.
Nominations
• Grammy Awards 1986 – Song of the Year (songwriter) (for 'Money for Nothing')
• Grammy Awards 1992 – Best Country Instrumental Performance with Chet Atkins (for 'Neck and Neck')
• Grammy Awards 2007 – Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album with Emmylou Harris (for 'All the Roadrunning')
Knopfler's influence
• Played together with Dire Straits' drummer Pick Withers on Bob Dylan's studio album Slow Train Coming, which was recorded in May 1979 and released 20 August; providing Dylan with what Dylan considered his best guitar backing since the days of Mike Bloomfield and Robbie Robertson. Knopfler also played in and co-produced Dylan's 1983 album Infidels.
• British author and humorist Douglas Adams said about Knopfler, in his book So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish: "Mark Knopfler has an extraordinary ability to make a Schecter Custom Stratocaster hoot and sing like angels on a Saturday night, exhausted from being good all week and needing a stiff drink."
• The dinosaur species Masiakasaurus knopfleri was named after Knopfler. The palaeontologists were listening to Dire Straits recordings when they discovered the species.
• On "Weird Al" Yankovic's parody of "Money for Nothing", "Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies*", which merges the instrumentals of "Money For Nothing" with the lyrics to the theme song for the American television series The Beverly Hillbillies ("The Ballad of Jed Clampett"), Knopfler played guitar in the song, recreating the memorable guitar riff from the original song. He would only allow Yankovic to parody the song if he was allowed to play on the recording.
• Knopfler's song "Going Home" from the soundtrack to Local Hero is played before kick-off at Newcastle United's home matches at St James' Park.[52]
• "Going Home" is also the theme music for John Stanley on Sydney radio station 2UE.
• According to director Rob Reiner, Knopfler agreed to write the music for Reiner's The Princess Bride on one condition: Reiner had to put the hat that he wore in This Is Spinal Tap in Princess Bride, "somewhere in evidence", as homage to the rock mockumentary. The hat makes its appearance in Princess Bride in the Grandson's (Fred Savage) bedroom.
• Indian cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar is a fan of Mark Knopfler. They once had a joint interview on cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle's show Harsha Online.
• The 2008 stage production Celtic Thunder has covers of multiple Mark Knopfler songs. "Brothers in Arms", written by Mark Knopfler and performed originally by Dire Straits, is performed by Ryan Kelly. As well, the song "Irish Boy" (from Cal) and "Going Home" (from Local Hero) are performed together as an instrumental, entitled "Cal/Local Hero".
Discography
With Dire Straits
Solo albums
Golden Heart
• Released: 26 March 1996
• Format: CD
• Label: Vertigo Records, Warner Bros. Records (USA)
• Producer: Mark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlay
• Singles: "Darling Pretty", "Cannibals", "Rüdiger", "Golden Heart" (promo), "Imelda" (promo), "Don't You Get It" (promo)
Sailing to Philadelphia
• Released: 26 September 2000
• Format: CD
• Label: Mercury, Vertigo, Warner Bros.
• Producer: Mark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlay
• Singles: "What It Is", "Sailing to Philadelphia", "Silvertown Blues"
The Ragpicker's Dream
• Released: 30 September 2002
• Format: CD & LP
• Label: Mercury
• Producer: Mark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlay
• Singles: "Why Aye Man", "Quality Shoe" (promo), "Devil Baby" (promo), "Hill Farmer Blues" (promo), "You Don't Know You're Born" (promo)
Shangri-La
• Released: 28 September 2004
• Format: CD & LP
• Label: Mercury
• Producer: Mark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlay
• Singles: "Boom, Like That", "The Trawlerman's Song"
One Take Radio Sessions
• Released: 21 June 2005
• Format: CD
• Label: Warner Bros. Records
• Producer: Mark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlay
The Trawlerman's Song EP
• Released: 2005
• Format: CD
• Label: Mercury
• Producer: Mark Knopfler
• Tracks: "The Trawlerman's Song", "Back to Tupelo", "Song for Sonny Liston", "Boom, Like That", "Donegan's Gone", "Stand Up Guy"
The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations
• Released: 2005
• Format: CD & LP
• Label: Mercury
• Singles: "All The Roadrunning" (promo), "This Is Us" (promo), "Beachcombing" (promo)
Kill to Get Crimson
• Released: 17 September 2007
• Format: CD & LP
• Label: Mercury
• Singles: "True Love Will Never Fade", "Punish The Monkey"
Get Lucky
• Released: 14 September 2009
• Format: CD & LP
• Label: Mercury
• Singles: "Border Reiver", "Remembrance Day"
Soundtrack albums
Local Hero
• Released: March, 1983
• Label: Warner Bros. Records
• Producer: Mark Knopfler
Music from 'Cal'
• Released: 1984
Comfort and Joy
• Released: 1984
The Color of Money
• Released: 1986
• Label: MCA Records (MK's only song is "Two Brothers And A Stranger")
The Princess Bride
• Released: 1987
Last Exit to Brooklyn
• Released: 1989
Screenplaying
• Released: 1993
• Label: Phonogram
Wag the Dog
• Released: 1998
Metroland
• Released: 1999
A Shot at Glory
• Released: 2001
Other albums
• Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time (The Notting Hillbillies) (1990)
• Neck and Neck (with Chet Atkins) (1990)
• The Booze Brothers (with Brewers Droop) (1973/1989/1990)
• All the Roadrunning (with Emmylou Harris, April 2006)
• Real Live Roadrunning (with Emmylou Harris, November 2006)
Producer
• Infidels (1983) by Bob Dylan. Although Mark disowned the reworked version of the album as released, his production is still noticeable. Left off the album, but later released on The Bootleg Series, is the critically acclaimed "Blind Willie McTell", featuring only Dylan, singing and playing piano, accompanied by Mark Knopfler on acoustic guitar.
• Knife (1984) by Aztec Camera, a Scottish indie/new wave band, which was mostly a vehicle for the work of Roddy Frame, much as Dire Straits only ever recorded Mark Knopfler compositions.
• Miracle (1987) by Willy DeVille, was dedicated to Mark and his wife 'for their support which was nothing short of a Miracle in a time of Dire Straits.' The album ends with the ballad "Storybook Love", the theme from The Princess Bride movie.
• Land of Dreams (1988) by Randy Newman, includes the single "It's Money that Matters" which unabashedly revisits the Dire Straits song "Money for Nothing".
• Mark has just started his first album as a producer for another artist since the mid 80's, he is producing and playing on the as yet untitled new album by Bap Kennedy.
• Released: 1984
Comfort and Joy
• Released: 1984
The Color of Money
• Released: 1986
• Label: MCA Records (MK's only song is "Two Brothers And A Stranger")
The Princess Bride
• Released: 1987
Last Exit to Brooklyn
• Released: 1989
Screenplaying
• Released: 1993
• Label: Phonogram
Wag the Dog
• Released: 1998
Metroland
• Released: 1999
A Shot at Glory
• Released: 2001
Other albums
• Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time (The Notting Hillbillies) (1990)
• Neck and Neck (with Chet Atkins) (1990)
• The Booze Brothers (with Brewers Droop) (1973/1989/1990)
• All the Roadrunning (with Emmylou Harris, April 2006)
• Real Live Roadrunning (with Emmylou Harris, November 2006)
Producer
• Infidels (1983) by Bob Dylan. Although Mark disowned the reworked version of the album as released, his production is still noticeable. Left off the album, but later released on The Bootleg Series, is the critically acclaimed "Blind Willie McTell", featuring only Dylan, singing and playing piano, accompanied by Mark Knopfler on acoustic guitar.
• Knife (1984) by Aztec Camera, a Scottish indie/new wave band, which was mostly a vehicle for the work of Roddy Frame, much as Dire Straits only ever recorded Mark Knopfler compositions.
• Miracle (1987) by Willy DeVille, was dedicated to Mark and his wife 'for their support which was nothing short of a Miracle in a time of Dire Straits.' The album ends with the ballad "Storybook Love", the theme from The Princess Bride movie.
• Land of Dreams (1988) by Randy Newman, includes the single "It's Money that Matters" which unabashedly revisits the Dire Straits song "Money for Nothing".
• Mark has just started his first album as a producer for another artist since the mid 80's, he is producing and playing on the as yet untitled new album by Bap Kennedy.
Posted in: Guitarists
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