• Mark Knopfler: (* 12.8.1949)
  Bandleader, guitarist, singer and composer.
  Born in scottish Glasgow. He's some kind of musical autodidact and teached himself
  how to play guitar. Studied journalism and literature. Worked as journalist and
  social worker. Played with band like 'Brewers Droop' or 'Cafe Racers' in and around London,
  before he founded Dire Straits together with his younger brother David and John Illsley.
  

  In 1996 he released his first real 'solo' album with his new band.
  (which internally calls themselfs as 'the 96'ers' as it seems).

   

• John Illsley: (* 24.6.1949)
  He played the bass.
  Born 1949 in Leicester he's also an musical autodidact.
  Started the bass in a school band, and kept playing it. He did an apprenticeship
  as a carpenter, because he thought that there's nothing for him to gain in a
  academic way. However he decides to study sociology later and runned a small record shop.
  After his shop went bancrupt, he learned to know David Knopfler ... the rest of the story should
  be well known i think.
  

  He released a few own albums, retired almost completly from music business after
  the Straits were abandoned and dedicated himself to painting.

 

• David Knopfler: (* 27.12.1951)
  Second guitarist, besides his older brother Mark.
  Mark reached him how to play the guitar, but he played the drums in
  his first own band. Because of his acquaintance to John Illsley, the Straits came together.
  

  After he left the band, he started his quite succesful solo career.

   

• Pick Withers: (* 4.4.1948)
  Dire Straits first drummer.
  As unemployed professional musician he met the Knopfler brothers and Illsley.
  

  After he left the band, he worked together with a lot different musicians
  on a small scale. It seems as if he's still dooing this today.
  He has has released own albums too.

  End of the nineties he toured with canadian blues singer Rita Chiarelli, and
  appeared on her live album too.

Later members of DS and MK's band:

 

• Sid McGinnis: (* 6.10.19??)
  Replaced David Knopfler on short call as second guitarist.
  Today : Lead guitarist of David Lettermans late night talk show.

 

• Hal Lindes: (* 30.6.1953)
  Replaced SidMcGinnis as second guitarist. Today he writes film scores and has a own homepage

 

• Alan Clark: (* 5.3.1952)
  Alan was DS first keyboarder and stayed till the end.
  It is sayed that he didn't joined Mark's solo projects because he isn't that keen in dooing country music.

 

• Terry Williams: (* 11.1.1948)
  Replaced Pick Withers as drummer. He's in the business since the 60'es
  and played (and still does) with a whole bunch of famous musicians.
  

  If you want to know more about him, take a look here.

   

• Omar Hakim: (* 12.6.1959)
  Did some drums besides Terry Williams on the Brothers In Arms album.
  Omar Hakim is a quite well known drummer, and has played for Madonna, Sting and Herbie Hancock for example.
  He has an own homepage.

 

• Jack Sonni: (* 9.12.1954)
  Replaced Hal Lindes as second guitarist.
  It seems as he's CEO or something of record company today and that he sometimes
  playes with friends in pubs and bars around Los Angeles.

 

• Guy Fletcher: (* 24.5.1960)
  Joind the band during the BIA era as second keyboarder.
  Since then, he can be heard on virtually every album or participation of Mark Knopfler.
  He plays keyboards in Marks solo band also.
  

  Guy is especially because of his homepage a very
  valuable source of information for Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits fans.

   

• Chris White: (* 13.7.1955)
  Joined DS during the BIA era. Plays saxophone.

 

• Jeff Porcaro: (* 1.4.1954 - + 5.8.1992)
  Toto-Drummer, joined on short call for Terry Williams.
  Together with his brother Steve he founded the band Toto. He died in the age of 38 due to an heart attack.

 

• Phil Palmer:
  Replaced Jack Sonni as second guitarist.
  Phil is one of the most wanted guitarists in the world. He already played with Eric Clapton, Tears for Fears, Tina Turner, George Michael, Elton John, Bryan Adams, Pete Townshend, Robbie Williams and many many more.

 

• Paul Franklin: (* 31.5.1953)
  Played pedal steel guitar on DS last album 'On Every Street',
  and during the BIA tour.
  Paul is often referenced as one of the best, if not THE best, pedal steel guitar
  player in the world. He has justified this in a lot of his participations on DS and MK albums.

  If you want to know more about him, take a look at his own homepage.

   

• Danny Cummings:
  Does percussion and drums on 'On Every Street' and the following tour.
  Has played with Depeche Mode and George Michael before.

 

• Chris Whitten:
  Main drummer during the 'On Every Street' tour.
  Played with the Waterboys and Paul McCartney before.

 

• Richard Bennett: (* 1951)
  Joined marks solo band after the end of Dire Straits as second guitarist.
  In the 70'ies he played long time with Neil Diamond, and in the 80'ies he moved to nashville.
  Richard has a own homepage too.

 

• Glenn Worf:
  Plays bass on Marks solo band.

 

• Chad Cromwell: (* 14.6.1957)
  Drummer in Marks solo band.
  Played with Joe Walsh, Neil Young and made himself a name in nashville.

 

• Jim Cox:
  Played the piano on Mark's last two albums.