A Mark In Time
Mark Knopfler Discussion => Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum => Topic started by: qjamesfloyd on February 26, 2025, 08:07:31 AM
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We know that over the years Mark has been very fortunate to have been able to play and record with most of his musical hero's, and they all must have pleased him in one of another, but who do you thin has been the one artist that Mark can look back on and think, the young me would have been amazed is he knew what was to come. For me, it is Chet Atkins, Mark was a guitar player before being a real song writer, and Chet was always another level in guitar playing terms, Mark takes a lot of his style from Chet's approach, even though Mark then made his own unique style, but when I have watched them play, at times you can see in Mark's face that he is totally in awe of Chet, something I haven't seem him do playing with other greats.
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Bob Dylan, without a doubt. I sometimes think Mark and Bob are distant relatives, they even look alike in some photos. I think the story of Dylan hiring MK at such an early stage of Dire Straits is one of the best success stories out there. Just a year after your first hit single, you're recording with Bob Dylan. Not every British musician can say that! Or any musician in general :lol
Chet Atkins, yeah, everybody loves Chet. Their duet album is hands down the best Chet Atkins record vibes/sound-wise. So Chet also knew what's up. Their chemistry is beyond limits and definitely something bigger than MK's connection with Bob. Chet won't record a Christian album and won't "talk to nobody" on tour, as brilliantly described by Ed. They should've recorded more with Chet.
The Everly Brothers is probably the safest 3rd choice. Everybody loves The Everly Brothers. Everybody with good musical taste would listen to their music at some point. It doesn't matter if you were born in the 40s or 90s or today. I think the fact they sang one of Mark's songs is also a major one, despite the fact fans are bored to death with Mark talking about it in every single interview. But IT IS a big deal.
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Yes, I am sure Mark could not believe that Bob Dylan has asked him to play on a record with him so early in his career. Mark also loved playing Why Worry with The Everly Brothers. I think the only two of his his hero's he never got to play or record with are Buddy Holly and Elvis.
And yes, I know some people get tired on hearing him talk about playing with these types of people, but I am sure any musician would mention it a lot if you have the chance to play and record with the legends Mark has.
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Their duet album is hands down the best Chet Atkins record vibes/sound-wise.
Can I ask how many Chet Atkins records you listened to before making this assessment? 'cause there's about a thousand of them ;D
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Definitely, should Elvis be alive for at least a few more years, Mark would meet him too :lol
Also, it's funny we're only discussing the Americans so far. Bob Dylan, Chet Atkins, The Everly Brothers, B.B. King, Elvis. What are important Brits? I'd say Van Morrison and Hank Marvin.
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Their duet album is hands down the best Chet Atkins record vibes/sound-wise.
Can I ask how many Chet Atkins records you listened to before making this assessment? 'cause there's about a thousand of them ;D
I was quite obsessed with Chet Atkins from 15 to today, really, maybe even before I discovered MK, I can't remember, and played a lot of his stuff on the guitar and listened to tons and tons of records. In Russia, as you may know, piracy is very well-established, so you can easily get an ENTIRE discography with just one click... Something like 100 albums it was. Sorry, Chet.
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Did you listen to this one? I would say it rivals Neck and Neck using the criteria you refer to.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._B._Atkins_%26_C._E._Snow_by_Special_Request
Also the Les Paul and Jerry Reed collaborations.
PS don’t forget Lonnie Donegan. Also, maybe I shouldn’t open this can of worms, but is Van Morrison British? ;)
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Also, maybe I shouldn’t open this can of worms, but is Van Morrison British? ;)
It is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so as Van is from Northern Ireland probably not. He is a citizen of the UK.
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Also, maybe I shouldn’t open this can of worms, but is Van Morrison British? ;)
It is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so as Van is from Northern Ireland probably not.
British isles? ;)
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Also, maybe I shouldn’t open this can of worms, but is Van Morrison British? ;)
It is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so as Van is from Northern Ireland probably not.
British isles? ;)
United Kingdom :)
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I believe n geographical terms Van was born on the British Isles. :)
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Of course, my words about Neck and Neck being the best Chet's album is just my opinion, and I'm biased because Mark and Chet are two of my biggest musical heroes. Indeed, by Special Request is amazing.
With that said, a really big part of Chet's discography, and I think I've heard/read Mark talking about it somewhere, is heavily leaning towards the "Easy Listening" category, production-wise and listening-experience-wise. I think their duet album was, in some part, Mark's attempt at fixing this and doesn't feel like "Easy Listening" at all, and I love it for this reason. But I'm biased even here because I'm not a fan of instrumental albums in the first place, I love hearing people singing songs.
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I believe n geographical terms Van was born on the British Isles. :)
Well, that's a can of worms indeed. I believe Mark indemnifies himself as being Scottish, right? I'm far from British problems, literally and figuratively, but in my Eastern European mind, Van Morrison is definitely British. I guess it's like half of the world or more won't distinguish a Russian from a Ukrainian. I think all this self-identification is not a can of worms but a fractal. First, you were born in the Milky Way galaxy, in the Solar System, on planet Earth. Then, it's the British Isles, then the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, etc., maybe Van Morrison identifies himself as Cyprus Avenue-er, who knows.
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Did you listen to this one? I would say it rivals Neck and Neck using the criteria you refer to.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._B._Atkins_%26_C._E._Snow_by_Special_Request
Also the Les Paul and Jerry Reed collaborations.
PS don’t forget Lonnie Donegan. Also, maybe I shouldn’t open this can of worms, but is Van Morrison British? ;)
This Chet's album is AMAZING: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Brands_(album) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Brands_(album))
Another brilliant Chet's record that impressed me was this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvymuBG_xfs
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In a way, the answer is also hidden in the song “Watch Me Gone”
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I do believe that if Elvis and Buddy Holly had lived to the same era Mark started making music, that he would have been involved with them, both live and on record. It is interesting to note Mark has been involved with many people who were musically close to both of them.
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Also, maybe I shouldn’t open this can of worms, but is Van Morrison British? ;)
It is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so as Van is from Northern Ireland probably not.
British isles? ;)
United Kingdom :)
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classic. lol
i'd say Van is from Europe! ha