Mark Knopfler Cancels Tour

Mark Knopfler has cancelled his European and U.S. tours following a motorbike accident that left the former Dire Straits frontman with six broken ribs and a broken collarbone. Knopfler was injured on March 17th in central London when his vehicle collided with a car. He is expected to make a full recovery.

"Mark is obviously bitterly disappointed and would like to thank the fans who have sent him get well messages," a statement on his Web Site reads. The thirty-date U.S. run was to begin June 26th in Portsmouth, Virginia, and run through the end of July. The tour was to support Knopfler's latest solo album, The Ragpicker's Dream, which was released last fall.

Ticket holders were advised to return their tickets to the original point of purchase.

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Song Stories

“All Along the Watchtower”

The Jimi Hendrix Experience | 1968

Jimi Hendrix got hold of Bob Dylan's early John Wesley Harding tapes and in late 1967 recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" with the Experience in London. Dissatisfied with that first development, Hendrix brought those tapes with him to New York in early 1968 when he began work on Electric Ladyland. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's engineer at the time, told Rolling Stone that Hendrix "was still looked upon by his basically white audience as the mammoth black guitar hero. There was a constant fight within him to expand himself." Hendrix's successful take on Dylan's work has long been recognized by the songwriter. "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way," Dylan wrote in the liner notes to his Biograph box set. "Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."

More Song Stories entries »

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