Dire Straits toured for the remainder of the year, and also appeared on "Saturday Night Live". Knopfler would further emphasise his country music influences on his 1990 collaboration with guitarist Chet Atkins, "Neck and Neck". In 1990, Dire Straits performed alongside Elton John and Eric Clapton at Knebworth Festival, playing three songs: "Solid Rock", "Money for Nothing" and a song which Knopfler prefaced as an experimental song, unsure if they should record it on a following record. The song, a blues rock piece with solos by both Knopfler and Clapton, was titled "I Think I Love You Too Much". This song also
Dire Straits peaked at No. 5 in the album charts. Featuring the single "Lady Writer", the second album continued in a similar vein as the first and displayed the expanding scope of Knopfler's lyricism on the opening track, "Once Upon a Time in the West". In the coming year, however, this approach began to change, along with the group's line-up. In 1980, Dire Straits were nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for "Sultans of Swing". In July 1980 the band started recording tracks for their third album. Produced by