Mark Knopfler will not be in Cleveland when Dire Straits are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 14th.
He joins drummer Pick Withers, who told us in December that he didn't think he would make the trip from his home in Liverpool. Bassist John Illsley has said he plans to attend, and we have been told that rhythm guitarist David Knopfler, Mark's younger brother, will also be there.
Mark joins a list of no-shows over the years that includes:
- Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead)
- Levon Helm (The Band)
- Paul McCartney (The Beatles)
- Roger Waters (Pink Floyd)
- Alex Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth (Van Halen)
- Neil Young (Buffalo Springfield)
- Rod Stewart (solo and with The Faces)
- David Bowie
- Peter Cetera (Chicago)
- Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple)
- Peter Gabriel (Genesis)
- Axl Rose (Guns n' Roses)
- John Deacon (Queen)
- The Sex Pistols
- Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones)
This year's other inductees are The Moody Blues, Nina Simone, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, The Cars and Bon Jovi.