Mark Knopfler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Knopfler
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Knopfler performing in 2015
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mark Freuder Knopfler |
| Born | 12 August 1949 Glasgow, Scotland |
| Origin | Blyth, Northumberland, England |
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| Years active | 1965–present |
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Mark Freuder Knopfler (born August 12, 1949) is a famous British musician. He was the lead guitarist, singer, and songwriter for the rock band Dire Straits from 1977 to 1995. He and bassist John Illsley were the only members who stayed with the band for its entire run. After Dire Straits ended, Knopfler started a successful solo career and is now an independent artist.
Knopfler was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and grew up in Blyth, England. After finishing college and working as a teacher, he co-founded Dire Straits with his younger brother, David Knopfler. The band released six albums, including Brothers in Arms (1985), which is one of the best-selling albums in history.
After Dire Straits broke up in 1995, Knopfler began his solo career. He has released ten solo albums so far. He has also written music for nine films, such as Local Hero (1983) and The Princess Bride (1987). He has produced albums for other famous musicians like Tina Turner and Bob Dylan.
Knopfler is known for his unique fingerstyle guitar playing. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 27th on their list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." With Dire Straits, Knopfler sold over 100 million records worldwide. He has won four Grammy Awards and other important music awards. In 2018, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Dire Straits.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Musical Beginnings (1949–1976)
Mark Freuder Knopfler was born on August 12, 1949, in Glasgow, Scotland. His mother was a teacher, and his father was an architect who came from Hungary in 1939 to escape the Nazis. When Mark was seven, his family moved to his mother's hometown of Blyth, near Newcastle, in North East England.
Mark became interested in many types of music, inspired by his uncle's harmonica and piano playing. He really wanted an expensive electric guitar like his hero, Hank Marvin. Instead, he bought a different electric guitar for £50.
In 1963, at age 13, he worked part-time at the Newcastle Evening Chronicle newspaper. During the 1960s, he joined several bands. He listened to singers like Elvis Presley and guitarists such as Chet Atkins and B. B. King. When he was 16, he even appeared on local television as part of a singing duo.
In 1968, after studying journalism, Knopfler worked as a reporter in Leeds. There, he met Steve Phillips, a furniture restorer and blues musician. They formed a duo called "The Duolian String Pickers" and played in local folk and blues clubs. Two years later, Knopfler went to the University of Leeds and earned a degree in English.
After graduating in 1973, Knopfler moved to London and joined a band called Brewers Droop. One night, he had to play an old acoustic guitar with a warped neck. He found he could only play it by picking the strings with his fingers, which helped him develop his special guitar style. He later said, "That was where I found my 'voice' on guitar." After a short time with Brewers Droop, Knopfler became a college teacher for three years. He continued to play with local bands, including the Café Racers.
By the mid-1970s, Knopfler focused on his band, the Café Racers. His brother David moved to London and shared a flat with John Illsley, who played bass guitar. In April 1977, Mark moved in with them. The three started playing music together, and Mark soon asked John to join the Café Racers.
The Dire Straits Years (1977–1995)
Dire Straits recorded their first demo songs in 1977. The band included David Knopfler on rhythm guitar, John Illsley on bass, and Pick Withers on drums. They recorded songs like "Wild West End" and "Sultans of Swing". Many of these songs were inspired by Knopfler's life in Newcastle, Leeds, and London.
Their first album, Dire Straits, came out in October 1978. It didn't get much attention in the UK at first. But when "Sultans of Swing" was released as a single, it became a hit in the Netherlands. Soon, the album became popular across Europe, then in the United States and Canada, and finally in the UK. The band's second album, Communiqué, followed in June 1979.
Their third album, Making Movies, released in October 1980, had more complex music. This album included some of Mark Knopfler's most personal songs, like "Romeo and Juliet" and "Tunnel of Love". From 1980 onwards, Dire Straits had many changes in its members. Mark Knopfler and John Illsley were the only ones who stayed in the band for all 18 years. During the recording of Making Movies, David Knopfler left the band to start a solo career.
In September 1982, the band's fourth album, Love Over Gold, was released. It featured songs like "Private Investigations" and "Telegraph Road". After this album, drummer Pick Withers left the band.
In early 1983, Dire Straits released an EP (a shorter album) called ExtendedancEPlay, which included the hit song "Twisting by the Pool". This was the first time new drummer Terry Williams played with the band. They then went on an eight-month tour called the Love over Gold Tour. A live album, Alchemy Live, was released in March 1984, showing recordings from their final two shows in London.
During 1983 and 1984, Mark Knopfler also worked on other projects. He wrote and produced the music for the film Local Hero. The closing song from the film, "Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero", became a popular song for Dire Straits to play live. Knopfler also wrote music for the films Cal and Comfort and Joy. He produced albums for Bob Dylan and Aztec Camera. He also wrote the song "Private Dancer" for Tina Turner.
Dire Straits' most successful album was their fifth, Brothers in Arms. Recording began in late 1984. Guy Fletcher joined the band as a full-time keyboard player. The album was released in May 1985 and sold over 30 million copies worldwide. It became one of the best-selling albums in UK chart history.
Brothers in Arms had several hit songs, including the US #1 hit "Money for Nothing". This was the first music video played on MTV in Britain. It was also one of the first CDs to sell a million copies, helping to make CDs popular. Other successful songs were "So Far Away", "Walk of Life", and the album's title track, "Brothers in Arms". The band went on a huge world tour from 1985 to 1986, playing over 230 shows.
After the Brothers in Arms tour, Dire Straits took a break. Knopfler focused on writing film music. He wrote the music for the film The Princess Bride, released in 1987.
Dire Straits played together again for the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert in June 1988. They were joined by Eric Clapton, who became a good friend of Knopfler's. In September 1988, Mark Knopfler announced that Dire Straits was officially breaking up because he "needed a rest." A collection of their best songs, Money for Nothing, was released in October 1988 and reached number one in the UK.
In 1989, Knopfler formed a new band called the Notting Hillbillies. This band played more folk, Blues, and country music. The band included Guy Fletcher, Brendan Croker, and Steve Phillips. Their only studio album, Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time, was released in March 1990. Knopfler also worked with country music legend Chet Atkins on the album Neck and Neck, which won three Grammy awards.
In 1990, Knopfler, John Illsley, and Alan Clark performed as Dire Straits at a concert in Knebworth. In January 1991, they decided to reform Dire Straits. Knopfler, Illsley, Alan Clark, and Guy Fletcher recorded their final studio album, On Every Street, which was released in September 1991.
On Every Street was not as popular as Brothers in Arms, but it still sold well and reached No. 1 in the UK. Dire Straits then went on a very long world tour, playing 300 shows. This was Dire Straits' last world tour. The band members found it very tiring and stressful, which led to the group finally breaking up in 1995.
After the tour, Knopfler took a break from music. In 1993, he received an honorary music degree from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Two more Dire Straits albums were released, both live albums: On the Night (1993) and Live at the BBC (1995). After these releases, Mark Knopfler quietly ended Dire Straits and started his career as a solo artist. He later said he needed to get back to a more normal life because the huge scale of Dire Straits had become too much.
Since Dire Straits broke up, Knopfler has not been interested in reforming the band. However, keyboardist Guy Fletcher has played on almost all of Knopfler's solo music. In October 2008, Knopfler turned down a suggestion from John Illsley to reunite the band. He said that the global fame Dire Straits achieved in the 1980s "just got too big."
In December 2017, Dire Straits was announced as being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for 2018. Knopfler did not attend the ceremony. Only John Illsley, Alan Clark, and Guy Fletcher were there. Dire Straits was the first band ever inducted without anyone introducing them, and they did not perform.
In November 2021, John Illsley published his book, My Life in Dire Straits, confirming that Knopfler has no interest in reforming the band. He said the band members "reached the end of the road" after their final tour in 1992. Dire Straits remains one of the most popular and successful British rock bands, having sold over 120 million albums worldwide.
Solo Career (1996–Present)
Knopfler's first solo album, Golden Heart, was released in March 1996. It included the UK single "Darling Pretty". The musicians who played on this album became his new backing band, often called The 96ers, and included his old bandmate Guy Fletcher on keyboards. This band has stayed together much longer than any Dire Straits lineup.
In 1997, Knopfler recorded the music for the movie Wag the Dog. In July 2002, Knopfler played four charity concerts called "Mark Knopfler and friends." Former Dire Straits members John Illsley, Chris White, Danny Cummings, and Guy Fletcher joined him, playing old Dire Straits songs. The Notting Hillbillies also performed at these concerts.
In 2002, Knopfler released his third solo album, The Ragpicker's Dream. In March 2003, he was in a motorbike accident and suffered several broken bones. Because of this, his planned tour was cancelled. However, Knopfler recovered and returned to the stage in 2004 for his fourth album, Shangri-La.
Shangri-La was recorded in Malibu, California. Knopfler said that his current band plays Dire Straits songs even better than Dire Straits did. The Shangri-La tour took Knopfler to countries like India and the United Arab Emirates for the first time. His concerts in India were very popular, with over 20,000 fans at each show.
In November 2005, a collection of songs called Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler was released. It included songs from Dire Straits albums and Knopfler's solo and film music. The album also featured a new song, "All the Roadrunning," a duet with country singer Emmylou Harris. An album of duets with Harris, also called All the Roadrunning, followed in 2006.
All the Roadrunning was released in April 2006 and was very successful in Europe. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Folk Rock/Americana Album." Knopfler and Emmylou Harris went on a successful tour together. A DVD of their live performance, Real Live Roadrunning, was released in November 2006.
Knopfler released his fifth solo album, Kill to Get Crimson, in September 2007. He then toured Europe and North America in 2008. He continued to be very productive, starting work on his next album, Get Lucky, in September 2008. This album was released in September 2009, followed by a big tour across Europe and America.
Knopfler's solo live shows are simple, with minimal stage effects. He sometimes drinks tea during his performances. In February 2011, Knopfler began working on his next solo album, Privateering. In October and November 2011, he toured Europe with Bob Dylan.
On September 3, 2012, Knopfler's seventh solo album, Privateering, was released. This was his first double album, with 20 new songs. He toured Europe and the US in 2013. Knopfler started working on another album in September 2013, which was announced as Tracker and released in early 2015.
In November 2018, Knopfler released Down the Road Wherever. A world tour for this album was announced for 2019. During interviews, Knopfler hinted that it might be his last tour. The tour started in Barcelona on April 25, 2019. However, as the tour went on, he said he would continue because he loves touring so much. His final headline show to date was in New York City on September 25, 2019.
Knopfler wrote the music for the musical version of Local Hero, adding new songs and lyrics to the original instrumental music.
In January 2024, Knopfler announced his latest album, One Deep River, which was released in April 2024. Also in early 2024, Knopfler brought together many famous musicians, called Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes. They recorded a new version of "Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero" to support the Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America. This recording, featuring over sixty musicians, was released on March 15, 2024.
Country Music Contributions
Besides his work with Dire Straits and his solo career, Knopfler has also contributed a lot to country music. In 1988, he formed the country-focused band the Notting Hillbillies. Their album Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time was released in 1990. Knopfler also worked with country guitar legend Chet Atkins on the album Neck and Neck in 1990.
Knopfler wrote and played guitar on John Anderson's 1992 song "When It Comes to You". In 1993, Mary Chapin Carpenter covered the Dire Straits song The Bug. Randy Travis released another of Knopfler's songs, "Are We in Trouble Now," in 1996.
In 2006, Knopfler and Emmylou Harris released a country album together called All the Roadrunning. They also released a live CD-DVD called Real Live Roadrunning. Knopfler also contributed the song "Whoop De Doo" to Jimmy Buffett's album Take the Weather with You in 2006. In 2013, he wrote and played guitar on the song "Oldest Surfer on the Beach" for Buffett's album Songs From St. Somewhere.
Musical Style
Knopfler is naturally left-handed, but he plays the guitar right-handed. He is known for his unique fingerstyle playing, which means he uses his fingers instead of a pick. He learned this style from Chet Atkins.
Spin magazine once said that Mark Knopfler might be the most "lyrical" of all rock guitarists. Classic Rock magazine described his guitar playing as "dizzying" and said he was a "virtuoso" (a very skilled musician). They also noted that he wrote "terrific songs."
Personal Life
Knopfler has been married three times. He has twin sons from his second marriage and two daughters from his current marriage to British actress and writer Kitty Aldridge, whom he married in 1997.
Knopfler is a big fan of Newcastle United F.C., a football team. The song "Going Home (Theme of the Local Hero)" is used as an anthem at their home games. Knopfler also collects classic cars, which he races and shows at events.
In January 2024, over 120 of Knopfler's guitars and amplifiers were sold at an auction in London for more than £8 million. A quarter of this money was donated to charities. One of the guitars sold was the 1983 Gibson Les Paul used for hits like "Money For Nothing" and "Brothers in Arms." Knopfler hoped the instruments would find new homes where they would be played and enjoyed.
Discography
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Dire Straits albums
Solo albums
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EPs
Soundtrack albums
Collaborative albums
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Honours and Awards
- 1983 BRIT Award for Best British Group (with Dire Straits)
- 1986 Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Group (with Dire Straits) for "Money for Nothing"
- 1986 Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance (with Chet Atkins) for "Cosmic Square Dance"
- 1986 Juno Award for International Album of the Year (with Dire Straits) for Brothers in Arms
- 1986 BRIT Award for Best British Group (with Dire Straits)
- 1987 BRIT Award for Best British Album (with Dire Straits) for Brothers in Arms
- 1991 Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Collaboration (with Chet Atkins) for "Poor Boy Blues"
- 1991 Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance (with Chet Atkins) for "So Soft, Your Goodbye"
- 1993 Honorary Doctor of Music from Newcastle University
- 1995 Honorary Doctor of Music from the University of Leeds
- 1999 OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire)
- 2001 Masiakasaurus knopfleri, a species of dinosaur, was named in his honour
- 2003 Edison Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Music Industry
- 2007 Honorary Doctor of Music from the University of Sunderland
- 2009 Music Producers Guild Award for Best Studio for Knopfler's British Grove Studios
- 2009 ARPS Sound Fellowship
- 2009 PRS Music Heritage Award
- 2011 Steiger Award
- 2012 Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement Award
- The asteroid 28151 Markknopfler is named after him.
- 2018 Dire Straits inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- 2018 Living Legend Award Scottish Music Awards
- 2024 O2 Silver Clef Icon Award
