Since the Mark Knopfler News web site was launched in October 1998 we have had over 28.000 visits to the site! ...

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LATEST ON NEW ALBUM: Mark returned from Nashville in December, along with Guy and Chuck Ainley, and they began to work on repairs, overdubs, etc. on what had already been recorded. The album is still in an early phase of preparation and studio work is scheduled to continue until at least the end of May. Mark has reluctantly turned down an invitation to appear at the Chet Atkins Musician Days in Nashville in June so that he can concentrate on finishing the album which is likely to come out on the Spring of 2000. There will be more tracks than will be required for the album so some tracks will be used as bonus tracks on singles.

Mark was the special guest on BBC Radio 2's Jazz Diaries with Chris Barber on 14th September 1998 when he talked about his early musical influences.

Mark plays guitar and singing background vocals on Mary Chapin-Carpenter's version of the classic C&W song Oh, Lonesome Me. The song is on a Columbia Records compilation album called Tribute To Tradition. A proportion of the royalties from this album will go towards a proposed Country Music Retirement Centre for artists, musicians and songwriters. Mark also plays guitar on a track called Be Mine on the new Waylon Jennings album Closing In On The Fire.

Congratulations to Ed who received the prestigious Peter Grant Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Managers Forum's annual British Music Roll of Honour held at the London Hilton Hotel on 23rd September 1998. The event ended with a surprise appearance by the Notting Hillbillies - Ed didn't ever know they were there! The band played Calling Elvis and Good Rockin' Tonight with, of course, Ed on drums!

One for John Illsley fans - John was featured on the cover of the December '98 issue of Bassist Magazine.

Mark has written the foreward to a new book called Skiffle: The Definitive Inside Story by Chas McDevitt. The book, which has 294 pages, is published in hardback by Parkwest Publications - ISBN 1861051409.

Mark has made a contribution to a new Joan Armatrading project to help disabled children. Joan has compiled an album called Lullabies With A Difference which was released on 7th December 1998 on the BMG Entertainment label. The album will help raise funds for the charity Paces which is working in partnership with the world famous Pete Institute. The Mark Knopfler track on the album is Wild Theme from Local Hero. Official information describes the album as containing lullabies for everyone - not traditional and not just for kids! Other contributors include Jools Holland, Paul Young, Midge Ure, Brian May, and The Cranberries.

BBC Radio 2 have given away a National Steel guitar as a competition prize. This was NOT Mark's 1937 National Style O that is featured on the front of the BIA sleeve/liner - that guitar is tucked away in a bank vault! The guitar BBC Radio 2 has given away was signed by Mark. It was a new National Resophonic Style O - not a vintage National! It was purchased by Mercury Records to produce test-shots fir the front cover of The Very Best of Dire Straits album.

Brothers in Arms was the featured album on Rick Wakeman's Classic Albums programme on BBC Radio 2 on December 2nd 1998.

So, you want to play guitar like Mark, eh? Well, all you budding Mark Knopflers out there Total Accuracy have published a new tab book in their Jam with.. series. The book costs £18.95 and comes with two CDs which allow you to play along to many of your favourite Dire Straits tracks such as Brothers In Arms, Telegraph Road, Romeo & Juliet, Private Investigations and Walk of Life. You can find out more by checking out their web site at or ordering from your local guitar store but don't them any money as the book has not been published yet. Also out now is a new guitar tabulature book for the Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits compilation album. This contains complete guitar tabulature and standard notation transcriptons of all the songs from the album, including melody line, lyrics, guitar boxes and chards symbols. It includes guitar tabulation explanation in English, French, German and Italian. Cost £14.95 from the Internet Music Shop, www... .

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Despite fierce competition the Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits compilation album entered the UK album chart at Number 6. It ...

To date, Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits has sold over 3 million worldwide.

That's all for now, best wishes......