Looks like it wasn't Mark's choice to not go to Nashville if you read the quote below from Rolling Stone magazine:
9. For the new song "Shine on Me," Auerbach recruited Mark Knopfler – with a simple email.
"I sent him an email with the song saying, 'I thought of you. If you'd like to contribute, here it is,'" recalls Auerbach, who asked the Dire Straits founder-guitarist for just some simple rhythm playing. "A day and a half later, he sent me audio files. He was home in London, and has a studio there. I called him to thank him."