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4 unusual facts about Mark Knopfler


Just Pickin'

It includes different previously unreleased demos spanning from 1967 to 1981, featuring Brendan Croker, Mark Knopfler and Sholto Lenaghan.

Maserati 300S

Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame is a long term owner of a 300S and has regularly raced the car in historic competitions.

Masiakasaurus

The type species, Masiakasaurus knopfleri, was named after the musician Mark Knopfler, whose music inspired the expedition crew.

Nazareth Speedway

Mark Knopfler wrote a song about a season of racing concluding at Nazareth Speedway titled "Speedway At Nazareth".


All the Roadrunning Tour

The All the Roadrunning Tour was a 2006 concert tour by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler and American singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris, promoting the release of their album All the Roadrunning.

Charles Mason

The song "Sailing to Philadelphia" from Mark Knopfler's album of the same name, also has strong references to Mason and Dixon, and was inspired by Pynchon's book.

Chì mi na mòrbheanna

This song is commonly known in English as "The Mist-Covered Mountains of Home," and under that title it has been recorded by many artists, including John Renbourn, Mark Knopfler, Johnny Cunningham, Nightnoise (at the time including Johnny Cunningham) and Quadriga Consort.

Culture of the United Arab Emirates

The UAE has an active music scene, with musicians Amr Diab, Diana Haddad, Tarkan, Aerosmith, Santana, Mark Knopfler, Elton John, Pink, Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd, Shakira, Celine Dion, Coldplay, Linkin Park Slipknot and Phil Collins having performed in the country.

Doug Pettibone

In the last few years, Pettibone has played live and/or recorded with some of the most influential artists of our times, among them Keith Richards, Norah Jones, Steve Earle, Elvis Costello, Joan Baez, Mark Knopfler, Draco Rosa, Sting, Michelle Shocked, Vic Chesnutt, Kevin Montgomery, amongst others.

Golden Heart Tour

The Golden Heart Tour was a 1996 concert tour by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, promoting the release of his first solo album Golden Heart.

Habib Faye

Habib Faye's resume also includes playing alongside a wide range of artists like Manu Katche, Mokhtar Samba, Joe Zawinul, Paco Sery, Gilberto Gil, Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler, Branford Marsalis, Poogie Bell, David Sancious, Lionel Loueke, Tania St Val, Jacob Devarieux, David Sanborn, Brazil's Carlinhos Brown, just to name a few.

Jeremiah Dixon

The song Sailing to Philadelphia from Mark Knopfler's album of the same name, also refers to Mason and Dixon, and was inspired by Pynchon's book.

John Hedley

More recently he worked with Roger Daltrey (The Who), Ruby Turner and Jimmy Nail for the Teenage Cancer Trust benefit concert in 2008 and with Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) for the Sunday for Sammy concert at Newcastle City Hall in 2010.

Music for Montserrat

The concert starred musicians such as Phil Collins, Ray Cooper, Carl Perkins, Jimmy Buffett, Mark Knopfler, Sting, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Midge Ure, Arrow and many more, all of whom had once recorded at the island's famous AIR Studios.

On Raglan Road

The song, often known simply as "Raglan Road", has since been sung by The Dubliners, the Young Dubliners, Van Morrison, Sinéad O'Connor, Mark Knopfler, Billy Bragg, Roger Daltrey, Dick Gaughan, Loreena McKennitt, Joan Osborne, Orla Fallon, Ian Tamblyn, Tommy Fleming and Nyle Wolfe among others.

Private Investigations

After the verses, the song opens up into a slow, bass-driven beat, with strident electric guitar chords at the end, before the gradual diminuendo featuring extended interplay between Mark Knopfler's acoustic guitar and marimba played by Mike Mainieri.

Sailing to Philadelphia Tour

The Sailing to Philadelphia Tour was a 2001 concert tour by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, promoting the release of his album Sailing to Philadelphia.

Tearing Us Apart

Turner and Clapton performed the track as part of the 1986 Prince's Trust All-Star Rock Concert in London's Wembley Arena to celebrate the first 10 years of the Trust, then with a band including Phil Collins, Elton John, Mark Knopfler, Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, and Paul McCartney to name but a few.


see also

Alchemy: Dire Straits Live

Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on 22–23 July 1983, the album features the band's best-known and fan-favourite songs from their first four albums, the ExtendedancEPlay EP, and the Local Hero soundtrack (composed by Mark Knopfler); many of the songs have reworked arrangements and/or extended improvisational segments.

Bob Dylan Tour with Mark Knopfler 2011

Knopfler's tour lineup included Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), Richard Bennett (guitar), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Jim Cox (piano), Michael McGoldrick (flute, whistle, uilleann pipes), John McCusker (violin, cittern), Glenn Worf (bass), and Ian Thomas (drums).

Bob Dylan Tour with Mark Knopfler 2012

Knopfler's tour lineup included Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), Richard Bennett (guitar), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Jim Cox (piano, organ, accordion), Michael McGoldrick (whistles, uilleann pipes), John McCusker (violin, cittern), Glenn Worf (bass), and Ian Thomas (drums).

Get Lucky Tour

The tour lineup for the North American leg included Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Danny Cummings (drums), Richard Bennett (guitar), Glenn Worf (bass), Matt Rollings (piano), Tim O'Brien (violin, mandolin), and Michael McGoldrick (flute, uilleann pipes).

Sailing to Philadelphia Tour

The tour lineup included Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Richard Bennett (guitar), Glenn Worf (bass), Chad Cromwell (drums), Geraint Watkins (piano, accordion), and Mike Henderson (guitar, mandolin, violin, harmonica).

Shangri-La Tour

The tour lineup included Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Richard Bennett (guitar), Matt Rollings (piano), Glenn Worf (bass), and Chad Cromwell (drums).