Mark Knopfler, the singer, songwriter and guitarist who rose to fame as the frontman of Dire Straits, turns 77 on Wednesday, Aug. 12. Nearly five decades after “Sultans of Swing” introduced the band to a worldwide audience, Knopfler remains celebrated for a playing style that has always sounded unmistakably his own.
That song was “Sultans of Swing.”
Dire Straits recorded the song for its self-titled 1978 debut album, and after initially attracting attention in the U.K., “Sultans of Swing” became the band's international breakthrough. It reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979 and helped send Dire Straits to No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
Decades later, the admiration for that playing has hardly diminished. Classic Rock described Knopfler as “peerless as craftsman and virtuoso,” while Rolling Stone has also recognized the guitarist for his distinctive fingerstyle technique and singular sound, ranking him No. 27 on its list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
And new listeners are still discovering exactly what made Knopfler's playing so arresting.
His verdict changed rather quickly.
By the time Knopfler really cut loose, Mars was ready to reconsider his entire guitar hierarchy.
Mars ultimately called the performance one of the greatest he'd ever seen, placing it in his personal top 10 after reacting to more than 1,000 videos.
Dire Straits went on to release albums including Communiqué, Making Movies and Love Over Gold before becoming one of the biggest bands in the world with 1985's Brothers in Arms.
Knopfler's talents weren't confined to Dire Straits. He also became an in-demand producer, collaborator and film composer, working with artists including Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Randy Newman, Van Morrison and Chet Atkins. His film-score credits include Local Hero, The Princess Bride and Wag the Dog.
Dire Straits was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, more than 40 years after Knopfler and his bandmates first came together.
Related: Founding Member of Legendary '70s Rock Band, Who Turned Down Jimi Hendrix, Turns 80
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