Ex-Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler has assembled one of the greatest rosters of music stars ever to record a version of his song “Going Home (Theme from Local Hero)” for charity. Sales of the single will benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America charities.
Credited to Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes, the track features more than 60 artists, and will be released March 15 in multiple formats and configurations.
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To say the recording is star-packed is an understatement. Among the legends who, along with Knopfler, contributed to the track are—brace yourselves—the late Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, The Who’s Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood, Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr and his son Zak Starkey, Slash, Sting, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, Queen’s Brian May, Rush’s Alex Lifeson, Joan Jett, and the Eagles’ and Joe Walsh.
And that’s just the tip of the musical iceberg. Here’s a selection of other artists who lent their talents to the track: Joan Armatrading, Joe Bonamassa, James Burton, Journey’s Jonathan Cain, Paul Carrack, Ry Cooder, Steve Cropper, Sheryl Crow, Duane Eddy, Peter Frampton, Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, Toto’s Steve Lukather, Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera, Dave Mason, Tom Morello, Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen, Orianthi, Brad Paisley, Nile Rodgers, Genesis’ Mike Rutherford, Joe Satriani, John Sebastian, Duran Duran’s Andy Taylor, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, Keith Urban, and Steve Vai.
The recording features the last-ever studio performance by Beck, who died in January 2023 at age 78.
Details About the Single
The nine-minute track will be available on CD, as a 12-inch vinyl single with an etching on the B-side, as a deluxe CD/Blu-ray package, and via various digital formats. It can be pre-ordered now. The single’s cover was designed by famed artist Peter Blake, who created the cover of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.
Knopfler Discusses the Recording
“What I really want to do, more than anything else, is just to thank each and every one for this sterling response,” said Knopfler. “I really had no idea that it was going to be like this.”
Many of the performances were recorded in person at Knopfler’s British Grove Studios in London.
“Before I knew where I was, Pete Townshend had come into my studio armed with a guitar and an amp,” Knopfler recalled about how the track came together. “And that first Pete power chord…man, I tell you. We were in that territory, and it was just fantastic.”
He added, “Eric [Clapton] came in, played great, just one tasty lick after another. Then Jeff Beck’s contribution arrived and that was spellbinding.”
Summing up the proceedings, Knopfler enthused, “I think what we’ve had is an embarrassment of riches, really. The whole thing was a high point.”
About the Song “Going Home”
Knopfler composed “Going Home” for the 1983 film Local Hero. The tune has been adopted as the Newcastle United soccer team’s walkout song. A sneak preview of the Guitar Heroes version will be played before Newcastle United’s March 2 home match game. Several of the musicians who contributed to the track will attend the game.
Raising Money for the Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America
Meanwhile, several guitars have been signed by many of the contributing artists and will be auctioned off to benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust.
The Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America provide specialist support to teenagers and young adults with cancer. The Who’s Daltrey and Townshend are longtime patrons of the first charity and co-founded the second organization.