The most celebrated British guitar hero to emerge in the 1970s and ‘80s, Mark Knopfler rose to fame as the leader of Dire Straits. Knopfler’s clean but dexterous picking proved there was still room for traditionalism and chops in mainstream rock. But even without considering Dire Straits, Knopfler has accumulated an impressive résumé as a producer, sideman, songwriter, and film composer, working alongside some of the best and best-known figures in the music business. Dire Straits’ self-titled debut album was released in 1978, and the song “Sultans of Swing” became a hit single in both America and the U.K.. It was the first of a long string of successes for Dire Straits. Their landmark 1985 album, Brothers in Arms, sold over nine million copies in the United States alone and was the top selling CD of the ’80s in the U.K.. In 1995, Knopfler retired the band. 1996’s Golden Heart became Knopfler’s solo debut, followed in 2000 by Sailing to Philadelphia and Shangri-La in 2004. As Knopfler’s taste for rootsy, country-influenced sounds became a growing presence in his solo work, he began working on material with singer Emmylou Harris, and their collaborative album, 2006’s All the Roadrunning, was recorded during sessions spread over seven years. Knopfler continued to record, releasing Kill to Get Crimson in 2007 and Get Lucky in 2009. 2012 found Knopfler releasing Privateering, the first double-disc studio set of his career. In 2015, he released Tracker. Mark Knopfler continues to tour the globe.