It’s titled Down The Road Wherever and it’ll launch on November 16 through his own British Grove label via Universal/Virgin EMI on CD, deluxe CD, 2LP and a box set.

 

The box set will come with the new album on both vinyl and deluxe CD, along with a 12-inch EP containing four bonus tracks, a 12-inch print of the cover art and a 12-inch guitar tablature of a selected song. 

 

The former DIRE STRAITS vocalist and guitarist says: “Down The Road Wherever is a line from One Song At A Time. I remember my pal Chet Atkins once saying that he picked his way out of poverty one song at a time, and it just stuck in my mind. 

 

“You get to an age where you’ve written quite a few songs. But Down The Road Wherever seems to be appropriate for me just because it's what I've always done. I've always tried to make a record and also to keep my own geography happening in the songs.”

 

Knopfler is joined on the record by a wide range of musicians including Jim Cox and Guy Fletcher on keyboards, Nigel Hitchcock on saxophone, Tom Walsh on trumpet, Trevor Mires on trombone, John McCusker on fiddle, Mike McGoldrick on whistle and flute, bassist Glenn Worf, drummer Ian ‘Ianto’ Thomas, Danny Cummings on percussion, along with guitarists Richard Bennett and Robbie McIntosh.

 

Backing vocals are performed by Imelda May, Lance Ellington, Kris Drever, Beverley Skeete and Katie Kissoon.