Mark Knopfler Biography (1949-)

Full name, Mark Freuder Knopfler; born August 12, 1949, in Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland; son of Erwin (an architect) and Louisa Mary (a teacher) Knopfler; married (separated); second wife, Lourdes Salamone (divorced); third wife,Kitty Aldridge; children: (second marriage) Benji and Joseph (twins); (thirdmarriage) Isabella. Addresses: Agent: Ed Bicknell, Damage Management,16 Lambdon Place, London W11 2SH, England.; Contact: c/o Mercury Records, 72Chancellor's Road, London W69QB, England.

Nationality: British
Gender: Male
Occupation: Composer, guitarist, bandleader
Birth Details: August 12, 1949; Glasgow, Strathclyde, United Kingdom

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Work
Musical Producer
Metroland, Pandora Cinema, 1997
Wag the Dog, New Line Cinema, 1997
Musician
The Princess Bride, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1987
Metroland, Pandora Cinema, 1997
Wag the Dog, New Line Cinema, 1997
Film Appearances
The Secret Policeman's Third Ball (concert film), Virgin Vision, 1987
The Prince's Trust Rock Gala, 1988
Television Work
Musician
Hooves of Fire (movie; also known as Robbie the Reindeer in Hooves of Fire), BBC, 1999
Television Appearances
Specials
(With Dire Straits) Alchemy Live, 1984
(With Dire Straits) Live Aid, 1985
The Prince's Trust All-Star Rock Concert, HBO, 1986
In Private and Public: The Prince and Princess of Wales (documentary), British television, 1986
A Session with Chet Atkins, Certified Guitar Player (also known asChet Atkins and Friends: Music from the Heart), Cinemax, 1987
Himself, The History of Rock 'n' Roll, Vol. 7 (documentary; also known as Guitar Heroes), Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution,1995
Episodic
"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," French and Saunders, 1990
Parkinson, 2000
RECORDINGS
Albums
(With Chet Atkins) Neck and Neck, Columbia, 1991
(Debut solo album) Golden Heart, Warner Bros., 1996
Words + Music, Warner Bros., 1996
Night in London, Polygram, 1996
Sailing to Philadelphia, Warner Bros., 2000
Ragpicker's Dream, Warner Bros., 2002
Albums; with Dire Straits
Dire Straits, Warner Bros., 1978
Sultans of Swing, Warner Bros., 1978
Communique, Warner Bros., 1979
Dire Straits/Making Movies, Warner Bros., 1980
Making Movies, Warner Bros., 1980
Love over Gold, Warner Bros., 1982
Twisting by the Pool, Warner Bros., 1983
Alchemy, Warner Bros., 1984
Walk of Life, Warner Bros., 1985
Brothers in Arms, Warner Bros., 1985
Interview Disc, Baktabak, 1987
Money for Nothing, Warner Bros., 1989
Alchemy Live, Polygram Video, 1991
On Every Street, Warner Bros., 1991
On the Night, Warner Bros., 1993
Live at the BBC, Winsong, 1995
Released numerous singles, including "Sultans of Swing," "Romeo and Juliet," "Twisting by the Pool," and "Money for Nothing."
Albums; Compilations; with Dire Straits
Money for Nothing, Warner Bros., 1988
The Best of Dire Straits, Polygram, 1998
Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits, Warner Bros., 1998
Albums; Vocal and Musical Contributor
Bob Dylan, Dylan, Columbia, 1973
McLelland & The Backline, Sandy McLelland & The Backline,Mercury, 1979
Bob Dylan, Slow Train Coming, Columbia, 1979
Phil Lynott, Solo in Soho, Warner Bros., 1980
Dan Steely, Gaucho, MCA, 1980
Fausto Papetti, My One and Only Love, Kubaney, 1982
Phil Lynott, Philip Lynott Album, Vertigo, 1982
Van Morrison, Beautiful Vision, Warner Bros., 1982
Bob Dylan, Infidels, Columbia, 1983
Phil Everly, Phil Everly, Capitol, 1983
Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Love Over and Over, Polydor, 1983
Tina Turner, Private Dancer, Capitol, 1984
Scott Walker, Climate of Hunter, Virgin, 1984
Everly Brothers, Born Yesterday, Mercury, 1985
Bryan Ferry, Boys and Girls, Reprise, 1985
Chet Atkins, Stay Tuned, Columbia, 1985
Tina Turner, Break Every Rule, Capitol, 1986
Thin Lizzy, Soldier of Fortune, Telstar, 1987
Willy DeVille, Miracle, A&M, 1987
Sting, Nothing Like the Sun, A&M, 1987
The Secret Policeman's Third Ball (soundtrack), Virgin, 1987
Chet Atkins, Sails, CBS, 1987
Seldom Scene, Change of Scenery, Sugar Hill, 1988
John Illsley, Glass, Warner Bros., 1988
Joan Armatrading, Shouting Stage, A&M, 1988
Bob Dylan, Down in the Groove, Columbia, 1988
Randy Newman, Land of Dreams, Reprise, 1988
Chet Atkins, C.G.P., CBS, 1988
Tina Turner, Foreign Affair, Capitol, 1989
The Judds, River of Time, RCA, 1989

Jeff Healey, Hell to Pay, Arista, 1990
Notting Hillbillies, Missing ... Presumed Having a Good Time, Warner Bros., 1990
Knebworth: The Album, Polydor, 1990
Nana Mouskouri, Only Love: The Best of Nana, Philips, 1991
Big Daddy, Cutting Their Own Groove, Rhino, 1991
Bob Dylan, Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3: Rare & U, Columbia, 1991
Buddy Guy, Damn Right, I've Got the Blues, Silvertone, 1991
Indigo Girls, Rites of Passage, Epic, 1992
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Come On Come On, Columbia, 1992
Willie Colon, Corazon Guerrero, Fania, 1992
Rory Block, Ain't I a Woman, Rounder, 1992
John Anderson, Seminole Wind, RCA, 1992
Tina Turner, Sing the Hits of Tina Turner (Karaoke), Singing Machine, 1993
Everly Brothers, Mercury Years, Polygram, 1993
Phil Coulter, Recollections, Shanachie, 1993
Steely Dan, Citizen Steely Dan, MCA, 1993
Nanci Griffith, Flyer, Elektra, 1994
George Jones, Bradley Barn Sessions, MCA, 1994
Bob Dylan, Greatest Hits, Vol. 3, Columbia, 1994
Weird Al Yankovic, Greatest Hits, Vol. 2, Scotti Bros., 1994
Gary Tesca, Tina Turner Story, Mirage, 1995
Mac & O, Someone from Home, Rego Irish, 1995
Cliff Eberhardt, Mona Lisa Café, Shanachie, 1995
Chieftains, Long Black Veil, RCA Victor, 1995
Randy Travis, Full Circle, Warner Bros., 1996
Highway 101, Reunited, Intersound, 1996
Alex Bollard, Blues Ballads, Star, 1996
Joan Baez, Recently, Gold Castle, 1996
Twang!: A Tribute to Hank Marvin & The Shadows, Pangea, 1996
John Anderson, Greatest Hits, BNA, 1996
John Anderson, Paradise, BNA, 1996
Not Fade Away (Remembering Buddy Holly), MCA, 1996
Fender 50th Anniversary, Virgin, 1996
Iris Dement, Way I Should, Warner Bros., 1996
Mike Henderson, First Blood, Dead Reckoning, 1996
Clint Black, Nothin' But the Tailights, RCA, 1997
Sult: Spirit of the Music (soundtrack), Bottom Line, 1997
James McNally, Everybreath, Windham Hill, 1998
John Anderson, Super Hits, BNA, 1998
Waylon Jennings, Closing in on the Fire, Ark 21, 1998
Celtic Christmas, Vol. 4, Windham Hill, 1998
Tribute to Tradition, Sony, 1998
Randy Newman, Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman, Rhino, 1998
Also has contributed to Prince's Trust 10th Anniversary Birthday,A&M; Rock for Amnesty, Mercury; Nintendo: White Knuckle Scorin', MCA; Under Shattered Skies, Jubilant Bridge; and Angels Running, Patty Larkin.
Albums; Soundtracks
Local Hero, Warner Bros., 1983
Cal, Mercury, 1984
Comfort and Joy, Phonogram, 1985
The Princess Bride, Warner Bros., 1987
Last Exit to Brooklyn, Warner Bros., 1989
Screenplaying (Music from the Films ... ), Warner Bros., 1993
Golden Heart, Warner Bros., 1996
Metroland, 1998
Wag the Dog, Polygram, 1998
A Shot at Glory, 2001
Albums; Producer
Aztec Camera, Knife, Sire, 1984
Last Exit to Brooklyn (soundtrack), Warner Bros., 1986
Tina Turner, Break Every Rule, Capitol, 1986
Color of Money (soundtrack), MCA, 1986
Willy DeVille, Miracle, A&M, 1987
Randy Newman, Land of Dreams, Reprise, 1988
An Officer and A Gentleman (soundtrack), Island, 1988
Notting Hillbillies, Missing ... Presumed Having a Good Time, Warner Bros., 1990
Chet Atkins, Neck and Neck, Columbia, 1991
Classic Rock Box: WNEW-FM 25th Anniversary Box, Polygram, 1992
Bob Dylan, Greatest Hits, Vol. 3, Columbia, 1994
The Best Rock Album in the World ... Ever!, Virgin, 1994
Tina Turner, Collected Recordings--Sixties to the Nineties, Capitol, 1994
Alex, 100% Summer, 1994
Twang!: A Tribute to Hank Marvin & The Shadows, Pangea, 1996
Twister (soundtrack), Warner Sunset/Warner Bros., 1996
(Coproducer) Sailing to Philadelphia, Warner Bros., 2000
Albums; Producer; for Dire Straits
Dire Straits, Warner Bros., 1980
Dire Straits/Making Movies, Warner Bros., 1980
Making Movies, Warner Bros., 1980
Love over Gold, Warner Bros., 1982
Twisting by the Pool, Warner Bros., 1983
Alchemy: Dire Straits Live, Warner Bros., 1984
Brothers in Arms, Warner Bros., 1985
Money for Nothing, Warner Bros., 1988
On Every Street, Warner Bros., 1991
Alchemy Live, Polygram Video, 1991
On the Night, Warner Bros., 1993
Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits, Warner Bros., 1998
Music Videos; with Dire Straits
Sultans of Swing, Warner Bros., 1978
Twisting by the Pool, Warner Bros., 1983
Walk of Life, Warner Bros., 1985
Money for Nothing, Warner Bros., 1989
Alchemy Live, Polygram Video, 1991
Videos
Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits, 1999
WRITINGS
Film Scores
Local Hero, Warner Bros., 1983
Cal, Warner Bros., 1984
Comfort and Joy, Universal, 1984
The Princess Bride, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1987
Last Exit to Brooklyn (also known as Letze Ausfahrt Brooklyn), Neue Constantin, 1989
Tishina (also known as A Silence), 1991
Metroland, 1997
Wag the Dog, 1997
A Shot at Glory, Mac Releasing LLC, 2000
As You Wish: The Story of the Princess Bride (documentary), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists Home Entertainment, 2001
Television Scores
(Title song, "Why Aye Man") Pet Auf Wiedersehen (series), 1983
Hooves of Fire (movie; also known as Robbie the Reindeer in Hooves of Fire), BBC, 1999
Music Composer
Songs Featured in Films
"Where Do You Think You're Going?," Brothers and Sisters, 1980
"Solid Rock," Riding High, 1980
"Tunnel of Love," An Officer and a Gentleman, 1982
"Walk of Life" and "So Far Away," Space Camp, 1986
"Money for Nothing," Uhf, 1989
"Brothers in Arms," McBain, 1991
"Six Blade Knife," Desperado, 1995
"Sweet Dreams," Michael, 1996
"Romeo and Juliet," Can't Hardly Wait, 1998
"Relax," I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, 1998
"Walk of Life," Safe Men, 1998
"Romeo and Juliet," 200 Cigarettes, 1999
"Private Dancer," Virtual Sexuality, 1999
"Rudiger," Bandits, 2001
"Brothers in Arms," Spy Game, 2001
Books
(With George Harrison and Chas McDevitt) Skiffle: The Definitive Inside Story, Parkwest Publications, 1999

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Contemporary Musicians, Volume 25, Gale, 1999
Current Biography Yearbook, Gale, 1995

Periodicals

Entertainment Weekly, March 29, 1996
Guitar Player, July, 1996, p. 35
People Weekly, April 15, 1996, p. 27
Playboy, March, 1994, p. 21
Time, March 20, 1995, p. 79
Variety, December 15, 1997, p. 58

Electronic

Mark Knopfler--Official Site, http://www.wbr.com/markknopfler, June 10, 2002

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