Real Live Roadrunning (press release)
“Exquisite....a tour de force”—SF Chronicle
Last summer, two icons— British guitarist, songwriter and performer Mark Knopfler and the American singer, songwriter and interpreter Emmylou Harris—performed at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. This rare performance, one of only a handful in the U.S., followed the April release of their critically and commercially successful duet album, All The Roadrunning (Warner Bros./Nonesuch Records), which Rolling Stone calls “elegant” and “world wise and gently gorgeous.” On November 14, Warner Bros./Nonesuch Records will release Real Live Roadrunning, a DVD and CD package that captures this notable evening.
The concert footage was directed by Martyn Atkins, with the soundtrack on both the DVD & CD produced by longtime Knopfler collaborator Guy Fletcher. The package contains songs from All The Roadrunning,including the title track, the infectious “This Is Us,” and the heartrending “If This Is Goodbye.” In addition, it includes the June 28 concert’s renditions of the Harris classics “Boulder to Birmingham” and “Born To Run,” Dire Straits’ “So Far Away,” and “Romeo and Juliet,” and the Mark Knopfler solo track “Done With Bonaparte.” Knopfler and Harris are joined by musicians Guy Fletcher (keyboards, organ), Richard Bennett (guitar), Glenn Worf, (bass), Danny Cummings (drums), Matt Rollings (pianos, accordian), and Stuart Duncan (fiddle, mandolin).
Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris, who first met on a Chet Atkins TV special, quietly compiled a treasure trove of duets for seven years before deciding to release All The Roadrunning.
“We put it together by stealing a few precious hours of studio time here and there,” says Knopfler, “Emmylou’s respect and affection for the players and the music struck me then and still does. In my writing, I’d been dealing a fair bit with the male/female shape. With that amazing voice, Emmylou, now more than ever, seems to capture a kind of universal female experience, something that speaks to all ages. After our first session and then making a couple of duets for a Hank Williams tribute, I thought we should go on recording, and thankfully Emmylou felt the same.”
In Emmylou’s words, “Making this album was a pure joy—being surrounded by extraordinary musicians and guided by one of the great artists of our time. Truly it is a gift for which I will always be grateful.”
A multiple Grammy award winner, as the lead singer/songwriter of Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler combined his wry lyrics with his guitar prowess to create such major hits as “Money for Nothing,” “Sultans of Swing,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “So Far Away” and “Walk of Life.” He has produced records for Bob Dylan and Randy Newman as well as scoring several films including Local Hero, The Princess Bride and Wag the Dog. He has also released several critically acclaimed solo albums, including 2004’s Shangri-La.
A 12-time Grammy winner and Billboard Century Award recipient, Emmylou Harris’s contributions as a vocalist and songwriter has brought country and roots music to a new level of prominence and respect. She has recorded more than 20 albums and has lent her talents to countless fellow artists including Linda Ronstadt, Conor Oberst, Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello, Ryan Adams, the Dixie Chicks, Willie Nelson, The Band and Bob Dylan. Her most recent album, Stumble into Grace, was released by Nonesuch in 2003. This past February, her song “The Connection” won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance while her performance of “A Love That Will Never Grow Old” for the movie Brokeback Mountain won Best Song at the Golden Globes.
Warner Bros.