Dire Straits Dire Straits Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals), and Pick Withers (drums and percussion). The band became one of the world's best-selling music artists, with album sales of over 100 million. Their first hit single "Sultans of Swing", from their self-titled debut album, reached the top ten in the UK and US charts in 1978. They released hit singles in the 1980s, such as "Private Investigations" (1983), "Money for Nothing" (1985), and
So Far Away (Dire Straits song) Switzerland (#6) and Sweden (#7) and Top 40 in Italy (#33). The single was also released in Australia and peaked at #22. After the song climbed to #29 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in 1985, "So Far Away" was released a year later as the album's third single in North America, where it peaked at #3 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and #19 on the "Billboard" Hot 100, giving Dire Straits a third consecutive Top 20 hit from "Brothers in Arms" on the Hot 100. The 1985 European releases of "So Far Away" featured another