I don’t like definitions,
but if there is a definition of freedom, it would be when you have control over your reality to transform it, to change it, rather than having it imposed upon you. You can’t really ask for more than.
Mark Knopfler
Birthday wishes to Mark Knopfler, born August 12, 1949.
Mark Knopfler was the lead guitarist, singer, and composer for the rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded with his younger brother, David Knopfler, in 1977. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland and raised in Ashburton, Gosforth Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Dire Straits recorded six albums.
Brothers in Arms is one of the bestselling albums in history.
The band had the 1985 US No.1 single ‘Money For Nothing’, the 1986 UK No.2 single ‘Walk Of Life’, and the 1985 world-wide No.1 album Brothers In Arms.
After they dissolved in 1995, Knopfler began a solo career and has produced nine solo albums. He has composed and produced film scores for nine films, including Local Hero (1983), Cal (1984), The Princess Bride (1987), Wag the Dog (1997) and Altamira (2016).
During his career, he has worked with several iconic artists including: B.B. King, Chet Atkins, Chris Botti, John Anderson, the Chieftains, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Sir Elton John, Joan Armatrading, Bryan Ferry, George Jones, Phil Lynott, Donal Lunny, Van Morrison, Steely Dan, Sting, Emmylou Harris and James Taylor. He has produced albums for Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, and Randy Newman.
Described by Classic Rock as a virtuoso, Knopfler is a fingerstyle guitarist and ranked 27th on Rolling Stone‘s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”. As of 2009, he and Dire Straits had sold over 120 million records.
Knopfler is a four-time Grammy winner, the recipient of the Edison Award, the Steiger Award and the Ivor Novello Award, and holding three honorary doctorate degrees in music from universities in the United Kingdom. They inducted Knopfler into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Dire Straits in 2018.
