Mark Knopfler has released his tenth solo studio album on his own British Grove label via EMI. Entitled One Deep River, it features 12 unhurriedly elegant new Knopfler songs, and his warm Geordie vocal tone, his poetic storytelling lyrics and deft, richly melodic guitar playing are all present and correct and as dazzling as ever.
The first single from the album Ahead Of The Game, a wistful, perhaps autobiographical, story about a singer/songwriter struggling to make it, set to a distinctively Knopfleresque classic riff, is available now.
The title track One Deep River reflects Knopfler’s deep affection for the river that runs through his childhood home city Newcastle. “Crossing the Tyne is always on your mind,” he says. “It’s what you were doing when you were leaving as a youngster and that feeling is always the same every time you do it. You’re heading out or you’re coming back, and it just connects with your childhood. The power of it doesn’t go away.”
One Deep River offers an unstoppable flow of future Knopfler classics, with their customarily learned lyrics and refined guitar textures. They draw on a lifetime of genre-crossing ingredients and influences in blues, folk, rock and beyond, and as usual, reveal their charms with unhurried grace and depth.
One Deep River was produced by Knopfler and his longstanding collaborator Guy Fletcher and was recorded at his state of the art British Grove Studios in London. The album will be available on CD, deluxe 2CD, double gatefold vinyl, cassette and a special limited edition box set that will include the album on both vinyl and CD, 5 bonus tracks on CD, 4 exclusive bonus tracks on LP, a litho print of Mark and some of the guitars played on the record, a guitar pick set and tin, and an enamel badge.
The band on One Deep River features Mark Knopfler on guitars, Jim Cox and Guy Fletcher on keyboards, Glenn Worf on bass, Ian Thomas on drums and Danny Cummings on percussion, Richard Bennett on guitar, and newcomer Greg Leisz on pedal and lap steel; Mike McGoldrick provides whistle and uilleann pipes, and John McCusker plays fiddle, while the Topolski sisters Emma and Tamsin add backing vocals. All songs are written by Mark Knopfler.
Mark Knopfler, singer-songwriter, record producer and composer, is one of the most successful musicians the UK has ever produced and is often cited as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. He first came to prominence in the 80s as leader of Dire Straits, who created many of the signature songs of the era. Knopfler broke up the band in 1995 and set off on a new path as a solo artist. In the ensuing years Knopfler has released nine solo albums of sophisticated rootsy rock and has continued to tour the globe with his band. Over the years, Mark has written the music for several films, including Local Hero, Cal, The Princess Bride, Last Exit To Brooklyn and Wag The Dog and has played and recorded with a number of artists, including Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Emmylou Harris, Tina Turner, Randy Newman and Chet Atkins. Knopfler was made an OBE in 1999 and was given the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ivor Novellos in 2012.
On 31st January ’24 Christies will auction the Mark Knopfler Guitar Collection. Comprising more than 120 guitars and amps, the collection spans Mark’s 50-year career and chronicles the diverse array of instruments that he has used to write, record and perform his peerless catalogue of music. The auction will include the Gibson Les Paul Mark played on Dire Straits’ ‘Brothers In Arms’ and at Live Aid, a red Mark Knopfler Signature Fender Stratocaster, and a 1951 Martin D-28, as well as a number of guitars used on the recording of One Deep River (including his Ovations, the little Martin, the Stefan Sobell and the Hummingbird).
Mark has teamed up with Brian Johnson, the singer from rock legends AC/DC, to make a six part new TV series for Sky Arts. The two friends take a fascinating look at the history of popular music alongside various special guests including Sam Fender and Emmylou Harris. Broadcast dates to be announced soon.