Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes is the banner head that a new charity single, ‘Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)’ will go out on its release on 15th March.
The song is a new version of Dire Straits legend Knopfler’s 1983 Instrumental, this time boasting an enormous line-up of sixty iconic musicians.
The song was produced by former Dire Straits keyboardist, Guy Fletcher. Guests include Bruce Springsteen, Slash, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Pete Townsend, Sting, Sam Fender, Tom Morello, Brian May, Joan Jett, Tony Iommi, Ringo Starr, Nile Rogers, Roger Daltrey and Ronnie Wood.
It also features contributions from Joan Armatrading, Richard Bennett, Joe Bonamassa, Joe Brown, James Burton, Jonathan Cain, Paul Carrack, Ry Cooder, Jim Cox, Steve Cropper, Sheryl Crow, Danny Cummings, Duane Eddy, Peter Frampton, Audley Freed, Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, Keiji Haino, John Jorgenson, Sonny Landreth, Albert Lee, Greg Leisz, Alex Lifeson, Steve Lukather, Phil Manzanera, Dave Mason, Hank Marvin, Robbie McIntosh, John McLaughlin, Rick Neilsen, Orianthi, Brad Paisley, Mike Rutherford, Joe Satriani, John Sebastian, Connor Selby, Andy Taylor, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, Ian Thomas, Keith Urban, Steve Vai, Waddy Wachtel, Joe Louis Walker, Joe Walsh, Zack Starkey, Glenn Worf, and Zucchero… and the final recording by Jeff Beck.
All proceeds from the release will benefit Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America, whose patron and curator, Roger Daltrey, will step down following this year’s concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, expressing his hope that one of his peers will take up the baton.
You can check out a taster of the single via the video clip here at RAMzine, and pre-order it here.
The song was originally composed for the 1983 film Local Hero, starring Burt Lancaster and has since become adopted by Newcastle United, Knopfler’s boyhood team.
Knopfler said: “What I really want to do, more than anything else, is just to thank each and every one for this sterling response. I really had no idea that it was going to be like this. It hit Guy and I quite early on that we had to extend this piece somehow, to take in the number of people who joined in.
“Before I knew where I was, Pete Townshend had come into my studio armed with a guitar and an amp. And that first Pete power chord – Man, I tell you. We were in that territory, and it was just fantastic. And it went on from there. Eric (Clapton) came in, played great, just one tasty lick after another. Then Jeff Beck’s contribution arrived and that was spellbinding. I think what we’ve had is an embarrassment of riches, really. The whole thing was a high point.”
Some musicians recorded in person at British Grove Studios in west London, while others sent in their contributions from around the world. Among those involved was rising star Connor Selby who is about to head out on tour throughout the UK and Europe with Joanne Shaw Taylor, and talking about the recording he said, “What a huge honour it was to have contributed to this incredible project featuring a pretty comprehensive list of some of the greatest and most significant guitarists ever and the final recording by the late great Jeff Beck.
“I can’t really express how much it means to me to have been a part of this! The teenage me sat in his bedroom listening to all these great artists would never have believed that one day I might be playing on the same track as all of them. Mark has put together something truly special and for such worthwhile causes. What he has done really helps put things in perspective. I hope that the song is an enormous success and the money raised helps change those young lives.”
