What will Mark Knopfler's place in history be?.I'm conscious of certain elder statesmen of music approaching the autumn of their lives. You can here it in the subjects they sing about... old memories, the passing away of friends.
So, here is a short text I'm working on about Mark's place in history with a link to longer material provided at the end.
Mark Knopfler will go down in history as a superlative guitarist, band leader, session musician, song-writer, music producer, composer of films scores, husband, father and all round good, if once occasionally mystifying, human being. His guitar playing may have mellowed with age, but his songwriting has remined constant, blending travel, observation, literature, history, film, and a wry sense of word-play into his songs. Although Mark would “recommend success to anyone,” he places no value on fame, and has remained humble, if not self depreciating, despite some past unravelling of his personality. His music has heart, even in his most melancholy moments, and early experiences with the violin may have given an ear for the vibrant vibrato of classical strings. The musical genres he crosses include, rock n roll, rock, reggae, folk, blues, country, classical, jazz and even zydeco, Latin and calypso. His music reveals a man who leans towards compassion for humanity and for everyman; illustrated by his quiet giving back to charitable causes. At the peak of his career his records sold millions, making his “Mark Upon the Earth,” by contributing to the soundtrack of people’s lives all over the world. Knopfler's songs are used in weddings, funerals, memorials, and even football matches to lift the spirits and accompany us home. His legacy will live on through his music, and the countless numbers of people he inspired to pick up musical instruments, long after his passing.
For more writing on Mark find a previous post here:
https://shorturl.at/ptv6y(Contrary to a comment below this is written by me!)