POLLS: There are so many polls being done by radio and TV these days its getting hard to keep track of them ! One of the latest comes from the BBC, a best album of all time poll, in which Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms took second place behind Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA. (15/05/07)

GUITAR LESSON WITH MK: Breast Cancer Haven held its big fundraising ‘Blush Ball’ at the fabulous Natural History Museum in London on Thursday 3rd May, 2007. During the evening an auction was held and one of the items up for grabs was a half-hour guitar lesson with Mark at his British Grove Studio. In addition, the winning bidder received a copy of Mark and Emmylou’s All The Roadrunning CD signed by Mark. Over £200,000 was raised for the charity and we are delighted to announce that the winning bid for the guitar lesson with Mark was a fantastic £35,000 made by a genuine fan from the UK who read about the auction here on MKNews. (Updated: 09/05/07)

PLAY IT AGAIN: The BBC broadcast the last programme of their Play It Again series on Monday 7th of May. This final episode followed naturalist, and former Goodie, Bill Oddie's attempts to learn guitar so he could play with his daughter's band at her birthday bash. Bill struggled with the practising so called upon a few choice players such as Albert Lee and Dave Davis to lend a hand. He also popped over to British Grove Studio to get some tips from Mark. To see the clip from the programme where Mark helps out and shares a few few licks with Bill click here. (09/05/07)

DARFUR: Groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have launched a campaign to urge world leaders to take action over the bloodshed in Darfur. Along with other musicians, including Sir Mick Jagger and Sir Elton John, Mark turned over and then dropped an hour-glass filled with fake blood, symbolic of time running out for the people of Darfur, in an effort to demonstrate that action needs to be taken now. Thousands more hour-glasses were turned on Sunday 29th April, the fourth anniversary of the start of the conflict, designated Global Day for Darfur and aimed at increasing awareness of this on-going tragedy. For further details click here (30/04/07)

ATRR LIVE DVD: The Mark Knopfler-Emmylou Harris show at the Gibson Ampitheater at Universal City was filmed for a live ATRR DVD release entitled Real Live Roadrunning. The DVD will be released worldwide by Universal on 13th November (except in the USA where Warner Bros will release on the 14th November. Full details on releases page. (updated: 11/11/06)

HONORARY DEGREE: Following on from the Honorary Doctorate conferred in 1993 by the University of Newcastle and in 1995 by the University of Leeds, Mark has received a third Honorary Doctorate of Music. The degree was bestowed by the University of Sunderland on the 11th of July in recognition of Mark's “outstanding achievements in the field of music." For further info click here (updated: 13/07/07)

SEVEN AGES OF ROCK: Mark was recently interviewed for the current BBC TV series The Seven Ages of Rock shown on Saturday 16th June on BBC1, repeated on BBC2, Sunday 17th June at 11 pm. To watch Mark's contribution click here. (updated: 18/06/07)

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HAY FESTIVAL: Mark appeared at the Hay-on-Wye Literary Festival in Wales, UK, on Sunday 3rd of June. On stage for around an hour, Mark was interviewed by Matthew Evans. Accompanied by Guy Fletcher, Mark spoke of his career in music and played excerpts from Donegan's Gone, Rudiger, Romeo & Juliet and Sailing To Philadelphia. Song for Sonny Liston, Going Home and Secondary Waltz, were played in their entirity. (updated: 09/06/07)

GIBSON GUITARTOWN, LONDON: Mark and a host of other well-known British musicians, such as Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Paul Weller and Brian May, joined forces with a number of British artists including Sir Peter Blake, Gerald Scarfe and Andrew Logan, to support Gibson Guitartown London, a major initiative launched in the UK by US guitar makers Gibson. The artists painted thirty 10ft high fibreglass models of the Gibson Les Paul which were displayed close to London’s Tower Bridge for ten weeks from late June. At the same time, thirty standard sized, hand-painted Gibson SG models were exhibited at The O2 in near-by Greenwich. One of the main aims of Gibson Guitartown London was raise funds for three well-known UK charities, The Prince’s Trust, Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy and Teenage Cancer Trust so each of the model guitars was signed by an associated musician and auctioned. For more information on Gibson Guitartown London, click here and to check out the 10ft Les Paul guitars click here.

As some of you may know, Mark is a patron of the charity Music in Prisons. One of the 10ft Les Pauls was made by inmates at Pentonville Prison in the UK under the collective name of 'the Ville Boys'. Art forms an important part of the prison’s rehabilitation programme and working in the prison’s Healthcare Department under the of art direction of Mike Cahillane, a member of the prison's Education Team, the Ville Boys intricately illustrated their 10ft guitar with a montage of images representing the influence the guitar and artists have had on music over the years.

	click pic for larger image

Mark paid a visit to the prison to meet the Ville Boys and signed the guitar at a specially arranged art exhibition.

“The guitar looks amazing", says Mark, "and the inmates at Pentonville have done an incredible job to capture the spirit of the featured guitar legends, I hope the guitar sells well when it goes under the hammer’’.

Nick Leader, Governor of HMP Pentonville, delighted with the staff and prisoners who worked on the project said "...has been collaboration between the main prison, Education and Healthcare departments. We are using this work to encourage change through personal development by empowering the prisoners with necessary skills. This work helps boost self esteem and confidence whilst nurturing creative abilities.’’

(Updated: 15/06/07)

MK ON TONY JOE WHITE ALBUM: Mark is featured on the track Not One Bad Thought on Tony Joe White's new album, Uncovered, due to be released on September 5th. Tony Joe says they first worked on the song when he "built a big fire outside. [Mark and I] had steaks and cold beer, and we took the guitars out by the fire.”

MKNews teamed up with tonyjoewhite.com to run a great competition. The winner was Orazio Zappala from Germany. (updated: 04/10/06)

OTHER COLLABORATIONS: Mark and Jools Holland recently recorded a version of the Hank Williams track, You Win Again to be featured on the upcoming Jools Holland collaboration album Moving Out to the Country. The album will be released through Warners on November 20th. Other artists featured on the album include: Brian Eno, Richard Hawley, Bob Geldof, Lulu, Tom Jones, Marc Almond, India Arie, Paul Carrack, David McAlmont, Ruby Turner, Sam Brown, Dr John, Solomon Burke and Allen Toussaint

Mark also features on Paul Burch’s new album EAST TO WEST! For more info go to www.paulburch.com

Jimmy Buffett’s new album, Take The Weather With You, features a cover version of the Mark Knopfler track Whoop De Doo from the Shangri-La album. Mark plays guitar on the track. The album has debuted at No1 on the Billboard Country Chart and at No4 on the Billboard Top 200 listing. You can find more info at www.buffettworld.com

(updated: 27/10/06)

MARK LIVE IN MAINE: Mark performed a benefit concert at the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor on Wednesday, September 20th, accompanied by Guy Fletcher, Richard Bennett and Glenn Worf.

Set List:

Done With Boneparte
Sailing to Philadelphia
Donegan's Gone
Rudiger
The Trawlerman's Song
Romeo & Juliet (W/Richard doing end solo)
Song For Sonny Liston (MK & Glen)
Marbletown
Devil Baby
Baloney Again
Postcards From Paraguay
Whoop De Doo
All That Matters (MK, Richard & Guy)
A Place Where We Used To Live

Encores: Going Home - Wild Theme and If This Is Goodbye

All proceeds from this sell-out concert are to be be used to benefit The Opera House Challenge, a fundraising effort with a goal of $500,000 and an approaching deadline of September 30th. (updated: 21/09/06)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MKNEWS: MKNews is ten years old this month. It was set up after the demise of the Dire Straits Information Service in an effort to ensure fans worldwide continued to receive up-to-date, accurate information. The very first edition of MKNews, a hard copy newsletter, was issued in September 1996. The hard copy format continued until 1998 when MKNews went cyber. Since then, the MKNews website has had well over three million home page hits. Many thanks to all of you for your continuing support. (02/09/06)

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RON WATTS COMP WINNER: For six months from late 1973 Mark played lead guitar in a band called Brewer's Droop. The man behind the band was Ron Watts who was already heading the National Blues Federation in the UK and went on to promote great acts from Mississippi Fred McDowell, Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, to the Sex Pistols at the fabled 100 Club in London's Oxford Street. Ron's autobiography, aptly titled Hundred Watts, A life In Music, has recently been published. It contains an introduction by former Sex Pistol Glen Matlock and, among other things, has an interesting section on how Ron came into contact with Mark and how Mark came to join the line-up of Brewer's Droop ...... but we won't spoil the story. The book will make a great Xmas pressie so go buy a copy and read it for yourself!

Congratulations go to the lucky winner of the MKNews competition to win a copy of Ron's book who is Carles Davì from Barcelona. Carles correctly identified the name of the studios where Mark recorded with Brewer's Droop as Rockfield Studios in Wales. (updated: 18/12/06)

DUTCH TOP 2000: Radio2 in the Netherlands is currently playing its all-time Top 2000. The list includes fifteen songs by Dire Straits and a further two from Mark's solo releases. Dire Straits have three songs in the top 50, the highest is Brothers in Arms at No 20, with Sultans of Swing close behind at No 27. For further info go to www.radio2.nl (27/12/06)

ECHO AWARDS, GERMANY: Mark has been nominated for the German music press's Echo 2007 award. The awards show will be broadcast on TV RTL at 20:15 on Sunday 25th of March 2007. (27/01/07)

MK/DS COMPILATION: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler; Private Investigations was released on the 7th of November. It was issued in three formats: a limited release Special Edition 2 CD pack containing an in-depth booklet with photographs and sleeve notes by Pulitzer Prize winning author, Timothy Ferris, a standard 2 CD pack and a single CD pack. In the USA Warners Bros released a 2 CD pack with Skateaway replacing Darling Pretty in the track list. All formats were released internationally but varied from territory to territory. There was also a cassette version in the Far East and Eastern Europe. Further details are on the releases page. (08/11/05)

MARK'S NEW PENSA MKII: Mark has a new Pensa Custom MKII guitar presented to him in Milan by his good friend Rudy Pensa. Mark used the guitar during the Milan show on the 10th of June. The guitar is dated 3rd June, 2005, and has the serial number 0260. You can order your own MKI, MKII or MK80, exclusively from MKNews. Click the pic of the new MKII for a larger image of MK's new Pensa. (15/06/05)

	Mark's new Pensa Custom MKII

SCOTTY MOORE TRIBUTE: The Scotty Moore tribute DVD was released in various territories in October 2005 under the title A Tribute to the King: By Scotty Moore & Friends. Mark's contribution was recorded at the Abbey Road studios during the autumn of 2004. Mark and Scotty were joined by Graeme Broad on drums, Bill Wyman on bass and Albert Lee on guitar. They played Blue Moon of Kentucky and Baby Let's Play House. There was also a CD version released in some territories. (05/10/05)

MK & BB: Mark is featured on the track All Over Again on BB King's album 80 which has been released on the Geffen label to celebrate the blues legend's 80th birthday. The album also has BB playing with many of his 'friends' including Eric Clapton, Elton John, Van Morrison, Roger Daltry, Billy Gibbons and Sheryl Crow. (18/09/05)

RUMOURS: Rumours circulating in unofficial mailing lists that that Mark has undertaken collaborations with Luc Besson and Roger Waters are false, as is information claiming that Alchemy is to be released on DVD. (17/11/05)

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IN AT TEN: The new compilation album, The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler; Private Investigations, entered the UK mid-week album charts at No10. (09/11/05)

STARCARDS XMAS AUCTION: Regular visitors to MKNews will know that one of Mark's favourite charities is London's Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. One of GOSH's main fund-raisers is their famous StarCards auctions offering a unique collection of celebrity signed playing cards, photographs and other special items. A fantastic bid of £310 won the Mark Knopfler autographed StarCard display. This was the highest bid placed on any of the StarCards in the auction so special thanks and congratulations go to the winning bidder. Thanks also to all who made a bid. Watch out for further StarCards auctions in the future, who knows next time you may be the lucky winner. (09/12/05)

TOUR PICS: Thanks for all the pics that have been sent in to MKNews. The gallery is now finished, please don't mail in anymore photographs. The standard of photography was really good but sadly we simply can't use every photograph we received. If yours isn't in the gallery, maybe next time. To view the gallery click here

For more pics from thew tour click here and enjoy these superb photographs taken of MK and the boys in Holland by Dutch fan Peter de Bock.

What ? You want even more ?? OK, try this link to a gallery of pics from the RAH taken by Joost Diepenmaat - Joost's gallery

And lastly, you'll find some great pics in this gallery of images taken by Morten Byskov of MK and the boys in Vancouver - Morten's gallery

(updated 12/11/05)

SECOND CD SINGLE: The second CD/EP single from Mark's Shangri-La album, The Trawlerman's Song, was released in May 2005. Track list:The Trawlerman's Song/Back To Tupelo/Song for Sonny Liston/Boom, Like That/Donegan's Gone/Stand Up Guy. Tracks 2 -5 were recorded live during promo radio sessions at Shangri-La Studios. (updated: 24/5/05)

WARNER BROS EP RELEASE (USA): An 8-track CD EP was released by Warner Bros on the 28th June under the title One Take Radio Sessions (Live From Shangri-La). Track list: The Trawlerman's Song/Back to Tupelo/Song for Sonny Liston/Rudiger/Boom, Like That/Everybody Pays/Donegan's Gone/Stand Up Guy. All tracks were recorded during a live session at the Shangri-La studios. (updated 05/08/05)

RICHARD'S ALBUM: Richard Bennett's latest solo album is called Themes From A Rainy Decade. For further details and samples click here .

RICHARD BENNETT INTERVIEW

SUN RECORDS TRIBUTE DVD: The Sun Records Tribute album Good Rockin' Tonight: The Legacy of Sun Records is now available on DVD from amazon.com and similar outlets. This DVD includes Mark's recording of Rock and Roll Ruby. Please note the DVD coding is region 1. (06/11/02)

NEW BOOK: Chet Atkins: The Life, Legend, and Legacy of a Musical Giant by Rusty Russell is due to be published at the end of this month. You can order it from amazon.com....click here. (21/10/02)

NEW BC SITE: A new unofficial homepage dedicated to Brendan Croker is now online at www.brendancroker.tk (06/10/02)

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EDISON AWARDS: Mark has won a lifetime achievement award in the 2003 Edison Awards.He will receive this award on March 6th in the Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam. The event will be broadcast on Dutch radio station 'Radio 538' and commercial TV-station 'SBS-6'. Mark will performing three songs at the Edison Awards in Holland on March 6th: Walk Of Life, Devil Baby and What It Is. The band line-up for this will be:

Mark Knopfler: guitars/vocals
Guy Fletcher: keyboards
Danny Cummings: drums
Marcus Cliffe: bass
Robbie McIntosh: guitars
Bobby Valentino: violin
Geraint Watkins: accordion and keyboards

MARK KNOPFLER & FRIENDS UK CHARITY GIGS - JULY 2002: Tues, 23rd July Shepherds Bush Empire London for Save The Baby. Weds 24th July Shepherds Bush Empire London for Teenage Cancer Trust. Thur, 25th July Shepherds Bush Empire London for Leuka 2000. Sun, 28th July Beaulieu for the Countryside Education Trust. MK & FRIENDS were:

Mark Knopfler Guitar/Vocals
John Illsley Bass
Guy Fletcher Keyboards/Backing Vocals
Danny Cummings Drums
Robbie McIntosh Guitars
Geraint Watkins Keyboards
Bobby Valentino Guitar/Mandolin/Violin
Steve Phillips Guitar/Vocals
Brendan Croker Guitar/Vocals
Chris White Saxophone
Marcus Cliffe Bass

Special guest each night = Jimmy Nail

Special guest Wed 24th = Jools Holland

SET LISTS: Tues 23rd & Sun 28th: Calling Elvis/Run Me Down/Your Own Sweet Way/Railroad Worksong/Are We In Trouble Now/Quality Shoe/Hobo's Lullaby/Can't Be Satisfied/Feel Like Going Home/Setting Me Up/Walk of Life/What It Is/Romeo & Juliet/Sultans of Swing/Your Latest Trick/Why Aye Man/Money For Nothing. Encores: Brothers In Arms/So Far Away/Going Home.

Wed 24th & Thurs 25th: Calling Elvis/Run Me Down/Your Own Sweet Way/Railroad Worksong/Are We In Trouble Now/Quality Shoe/Hobo's Lullaby/Can't Be Satisfied/Feel Like Going Home/Setting Me Up/Walk of Life/What It Is/Romeo & Juliet/Sultans of Swing/Baloney Again/Why Aye Man/Money For Nothing. Encores: Brothers In Arms/So Far Away/Going Home.

JULY GIGS, FANS' GALLERY: Thanks to all of you who sent in pics, sorry if we haven't used yours but there were so many! Please don't mail any more pics. To view the gallery.....click here (29/08/02)

GERRY RAFFERTY: Mark plays on three tracks - All Souls/Sweet Love/Conscious Love - on Gerry Rafferty's Another World CD. You can order this CD from Gerry's website www.gerryrafferty.com or from your local retailer. (26/07/02)

THE JIZZBLASTER: So, you would like a guitar like MK's but can't afford a Pensa ? Well, how about a Jizzblaster ? These guitars are made up in California from 1960s Danelectro parts and are a real bargain at just $400. MK has one, you can have one, too. click here for more info. (28/06/06)

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