David Knopfler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Knopfler
Knopfler performing at Blacksheep Festival 2017
Background information
Born	(1952-12-27) 27 December 1952 (age 72) Glasgow, Scotland
Origin	Blyth, Northumberland, England
Genres	Rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter, record producer
Instruments	Guitar, vocals
Years active	1977–present
Labels	Phonogram, Cypress, Peach River, Ariola
Associated acts	Dire Straits, John Illsley, Alan Clark, Omar Hakim, Jack Sonni

David Knopfler (born 27 December 1952) is a Scottish musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as a founding member of the famous rock band Dire Straits. He played rhythm guitar for the band on their first two albums. After leaving Dire Straits in 1980, David started a successful solo career. He has released many albums and written music for films.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

David Knopfler was born in Glasgow, Scotland. His mother was a teacher, and his father was an architect from Hungary. When David was four, his family moved to Newcastle upon Tyne, England, where he grew up.

From a young age, David loved music. By age 11, he already had a guitar, a piano, and a drum kit. When he was 14, he was performing his own songs in local folk clubs. After studying economics at university, David worked as a social worker in London before becoming a full-time musician.

Personal Life

David Knopfler is married to Leslie Stroz, who is an art professor. She often creates the artwork for his CD covers. David lives with his family in Devon, England. In 2023, he also ran for a local council position in the Teignbridge area.

Career Highlights

Starting Dire Straits

David Knopfler played a key role in forming Dire Straits. He introduced his older brother, Mark Knopfler, to his flatmate and bassist, John Illsley. With drummer Pick Withers, they officially started the band.

A friend suggested the name "Dire Straits." Some people thought it meant the band was struggling financially. However, David says on his website that they all had jobs and received a good advance from their record label. So, the idea that they were "in dire straits" was mostly a story made up later.

Playing with Dire Straits

David Knopfler played rhythm guitar in Dire Straits. His brother Mark was the lead guitarist, lead singer, and main songwriter. David was part of the band for their first two albums: Dire Straits (1978) and Communiqué (1979).

Making two albums and touring a lot was very demanding. David left the band in 1980 while they were recording their third album, Making Movies. Because of this, he is not officially credited on that album.

Solo Music Career

After leaving Dire Straits, David Knopfler began his solo career. His first solo album, Release, came out in 1983. Interestingly, both Mark Knopfler and John Illsley from Dire Straits played on this album. His friend Harry Bogdanovs also helped write some songs and played synthesiser.

David released his second album, Behind the Lines, in 1985, and Cut the Wire in 1986. In 1988, his fourth album, Lips Against the Steel, was released in the U.S.

Besides his albums, David Knopfler has also created music for films. He wrote the soundtracks for movies like Shergar (1984) and Laser Mission (1989).

His album Lifelines (1991) was recorded at Peter Gabriel's famous Real World Studios. He continued to release albums like The Giver (1993) and Small Mercies (1995). In 2001, he worked with Harry Bogdanovs again on Wishbones, which featured guest musicians like Chris Rea. His ninth solo album, Ship of Dreams, came out in 2004.

In 2005, David Knopfler also published a book of poetry called Blood Stones and Rhythmic Beasts. His tenth solo album, Songs for the Siren, was released in 2006. He has also written songs with other artists, including Megan Slankard.

From 2007 to 2009, David toured in many countries, playing acoustic and electric shows with Harry Bogdanovs. In 2011, they released Acoustic, which featured unplugged versions of their songs. He continued touring and released a live album, Made in Germany, in 2013.

More recently, David Knopfler has released several new albums, including Last Train Leaving (2020), Songs of Loss and Love (2020), Shooting for the Moon (2021), and Skating on the Lake (2022).

Discography with Dire Straits

Solo Discography

See also

In Spanish: David Knopfler para niños

• List of film score composers
• List of people from Newcastle upon Tyne
• List of poets
• List of rhythm guitarists