Dire Straits
Latest about Dire Straits

Nirvana track named the best guitar riff of all time by surprising new study
By Phil Weller published
Many of the big hitters feature, but not where you’d expect them to be – and there are some notable absences, too

Mark Knopfler parted ways with his guitar collection this year – but he hopes they all get played
By Amit Sharma published
2024 Year in Review: The Dire Straits icon raised a huge amount of money for charity selling off 120 prized instruments, including his 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard

Take your melodic phrasing to new heights with this lesson in Mark Knopfler’s iconic soloing style
By Andy Jones published
Few players can pick out the notes like Knopfler, and this lesson goes deep into his fingerstyle approach, and how he foregrounds melody to tell a story with his leads

Mark Knopfler says the lack of a guitar amp growing up helped him develop his now-iconic fingerpicking style
By Phil Weller published
Sensitivity to his family’s finances – as well as an exchange involving his sister and a tennis racket – helped Knopfler on the way to crafting his legendary approach to the guitar

Mark Knopfler on how he enlisted Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and dozens more for the all-star Local Hero theme
By Jamie Dickson published
Corralling dozens of A-list guitar talent onto one epic track, Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes pulled out the impossible to raise money for teen cancer charities – here's how it all went down

Mark Knopfler on the guitars he couldn't bear to part with, and the six-strings that surprised him on One Deep River
By Jamie Dickson published
On the back of his stirring new album, the guitar icon discusses the primacy of songwriting, and how his relationship with the instrument has changed

“Some guitars are just that little bit special that they work their way in, you know?” Mark Knopfler on why he had to keep his Sultans of Swing Strat – despite selling his Money for Nothing Les Paul and the rest of his collection
By Matt Parker published
The Dire Straits icon recently sold off his most famous and valuable instruments – but there were a few notable exceptions...

“Eric came in, played great, just one tasty lick after another. Jeff Beck’s contribution was spellbinding”: Mark Knopfler enlists Clapton, Townshend, Iommi, Slash and dozens more for all-star charity single
By Jonathan Horsley published
Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes raise funds for teenage cancer charities with an epic version of his Local Hero theme, featuring Jeff Beck’s final recording, and over 50 guitar legends – including David Gilmour, Joan Armatrading and Brian May

“These guitars illustrate the musical journey of one of popular music’s greatest artists”: Inside Christie’s’ epic $11.2 million Mark Knopfler guitar auction
By Jamie Dickson published
We got an up-close look at some of the most storied, rare and collectible of Mark Knopfler's guitars, just before they went under the hammer

“Staggering”: Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Collection has sold at auction for over $11 million – with a record-breaking ’59 Burst sale and 28 guitars fetching over $100k
By Matt Parker published
The 122 lot sale included the Dire Straits man’s Money for Nothing Les Paul and Walk of Life Schecter, alongside his custom Suhr guitars
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