Editing Dire Straits (section)

===1996–present: Reunion speculations and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction===
After disbanding Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler started a career as a solo artist, releasing his first solo album, ''[[Golden Heart]]'', in March 1996 after nearly 20 years of collaborations. ''Brothers in Arms'' was certified nine times [[RIAA certification|platinum]] in the US in August 1996.<ref name=ROTN/> During that year, the entire Dire Straits catalogue was remastered by [[Bob Ludwig]] and re-released on CD on [[Mercury Records]], in most of the world outside the US. The remasters were released in September 2000 in the US on [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros]].

Knopfler, John Illsley, Alan Clark, and Guy Fletcher reunited for one last time on 19 June 1999, with [[Ed Bicknell]] on drums, playing five songs, including [[Chuck Berry]]'s "[[Nadine (song)|Nadine]]", for Illsley's wedding.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mark-knopfler-news.co.uk/oldnews.htm |title=John's Wedding |access-date=17 April 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20000125054225/http://www.mark-knopfler-news.co.uk/oldnews.htm |archive-date= 25 January 2000}}</ref> In July 2002, Knopfler was joined by Illsley, Fletcher, Danny Cummings and Chris White for four charity concerts under the name of "Mark Knopfler and friends".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/19835420.pictures-remember-dire-straits-rocked-palace-house/ |title=PICTURES: Who remembers when Dire Straits rocked the New Forest? |date=10 January 2022 }}</ref> Brendan Croker joined Knopfler during the first half, playing mainly material composed with The Notting Hillbillies. Illsley came on for a Dire Straits session toward the end of which, at a Shepherd's Bush concert, [[Jimmy Nail]] provided backing vocals for Knopfler's solo composition, "[[Why Aye Man]]". This song appeared on ''[[The Ragpicker's Dream]]'' (2002), an album that contained references to Knopfler's home area in the north east of England.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Ragpicker's Dream |magazine=Rolling Stone |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/markknopfler/albums/album/260215/review/5941728/the_ragpickers_dream |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071002035618/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/markknopfler/albums/album/260215/review/5941728/the_ragpickers_dream |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 October 2007 |access-date=16 December 2017}}</ref>

A compilation album, ''[[The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations]]'', was released in November 2005 and reached the UK Top 20. Featuring material from the majority of Dire Straits' studio albums and Knopfler's solo and soundtrack material, it was released in two editions, a single CD with a grey cover and a double CD in a blue cover. The only previously unreleased track on the album, "[[All the Roadrunning]]", was a [[duet]] with singer [[Emmylou Harris]]. The album was well received. In 2005, ''[[Brothers in Arms (album)|Brothers in Arms]]'' was re-released in a limited 20th anniversary edition which won a [[Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album]] at the [[48th Grammy Awards]] ceremony.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=7BQEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Dire+Straits+Best+Surround+Sound+Album+2006+Grammy+Awards&pg=PA75 Billboard 18 Feb 2006] ''Billboard'' Retrieved: 30 December 2010.</ref>

[[File:Mar-Knopfler-Pensa-Blue.jpg|thumb|upright|Mark Knopfler, pictured in 2015, has declined offers to re-form the band, stating "It just got too big. If anyone can tell me one good thing about fame, I'd be very interested to hear it."<ref name=oct2008/>]]
Since the break-up of Dire Straits, Knopfler has shown no interest in re-forming the band and is quoted as saying he was not interested in "getting all that stuff back together again."<ref name=oct2008>{{cite news |last=Youngs |first=Ian |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7656310.stm |title= Knopfler declines Straits reunion |work=BBC News |date=7 October 2008 |access-date=1 July 2009}}</ref> He said, "I would only do that for a charity. I'm glad I've experienced it all – I had a lot of fun with it – but I like things the way they are." Keyboardist Guy Fletcher has been associated with almost all of Knopfler's solo work to date and Danny Cummings has been a frequent contributor, notably to Knopfler's solo album releases ''[[All the Roadrunning]]'' (with Emmylou Harris), ''[[Kill to Get Crimson]]'', ''[[Get Lucky (Mark Knopfler album)|Get Lucky]]'' and ''[[One Deep River]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |title=Kill to Get Crimson |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/kill-to-get-crimson-r1111886 |work=AllMusic |access-date=15 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Ruhlmann |first=William |title=Get Lucky |work=AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/get-lucky-mw0000827991 |access-date=15 December 2017}}</ref>

In 2007, Knopfler said he did not miss the global fame that came his way at the height of the band's success. He said, "It just got too big."<ref name="oct2008"/> In October 2008, Illsley told the [[BBC]] that he hoped Knopfler would agree to re-form Dire Straits for a comeback tour. Knopfler declined, saying that he was reluctant to re-form the group and that he was not "a fan of Dire Straits' early hits."<ref>{{cite magazine |url= http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/knopfler-blocking-dire-straits-reunion_1082790 |title= Knopfler 'Blocking Dire Straits Reunion' |magazine=Contactmusic |date=7 October 2008 |access-date=17 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7656310.stm |title = Knopfler declines Straits reunion |access-date =3 February 2009 |first = Ian |last = Youngs |date = 7 October 2008 |work = BBC News |publisher = BBC}}</ref> In the same interview, Illsley said Knopfler was enjoying his continuing success as a solo artist.  "He's doing incredibly well as a solo artist, so hats off to him. He's having a perfectly good time doing what he's doing."<ref name=oct2008/> [[Guy Fletcher]] stated on his website that Knopfler had no interest in re-forming Dire Straits.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.guyfletcher.co.uk/index.php/forum/FAQ |first =Guy |last = Fletcher |work = Dr Fletch |title = Mark Knopfler Keyboard Player and Solo Artist Inamorata |access-date=20 January 2015 |url-status=dead |type = Forum FAQ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150125233820/http://guyfletcher.co.uk/index.php/forum/FAQ |archive-date=25 January 2015}}</ref>

In December 2009, the band were commemorated with a [[Heritage Award]] from [[PRS for Music]]. A plaque was placed on a block of flats in [[Deptford]], London, where Dire Straits was formed and played their first gig.<ref>[http://www.markknopfler.com/blogs/news/archive/2010/01/29/23835.aspx UK Music Heritage Plaque award] {{webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100217054924/http://www.markknopfler.com/blogs/news/archive/2010/01/29/23835.aspx |date=17 February 2010}}. Markknopfler.com</ref> In 2011, Alan Clark, Chris White, and Phil Palmer, along with [[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]]' drummer [[Steve Ferrone]], formed a new band, the Straits, to perform at a charity show at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] in London.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/the-straits/default.aspx |publisher = The Royal Albert Hall |title = The Straits 22 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140116132006/http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/the-straits/default.aspx |archive-date=16 January 2014}}</ref>

On 13 December 2017, Dire Straits were announced as inductees into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] for 2018.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bon Jovi, Dire Straits Lead Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2018 Class |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/bon-jovi-dire-straits-the-cars-lead-hall-of-fame-class-w513945 |agency=Rolling Stone |date=13 December 2017}}</ref> Speaking to ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' magazine, Illsley said he was pleased to have his work as a musician recognised,<ref name="HOF Billboard"/> but felt that Knopfler was not enthusiastic about a possible reunion performance. Knopfler did not appear at the ceremony.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.musicradar.com/news/mark-knopfler-absent-as-dire-straits-inducted-into-the-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame |title= Mark Knopfler Absent from Induction Ceremony |access-date=1 September 2020 |website=Music Radar |last=Rogerson |first=Ben |date= 16 April 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200901164016/https://www.musicradar.com/news/mark-knopfler-absent-as-dire-straits-inducted-into-the-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame |archive-date=1 September 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> They were the first act ever inducted without anyone introducing them, and they did not perform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Helman |first=Peter |date=2018-04-18 |title=Dire Straits Awkwardly Enter Rock Hall Of Fame Without An Induction Speaker Or A Performance |url=https://www.stereogum.com/1991552/dire-straits-awkwardly-enter-rock-hall-of-fame-without-an-induction-speaker-or-a-performance/news/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Stereogum}}</ref>

In 2009, Illsley and Clark performed several Dire Straits songs in an open air concert in San Vigilio, and since then, Clark, Palmer, Illsley, Cummings, Collins, Sonni and Withers, in various line-ups, have toured as the Dire Straits Legends and continue as the Dire Straits Legacy. They have released an album, ''3 Chord Trick''.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://metropolitanmagazine.it/dire-traits-legacy-conciliazione/ |title=Dire Straits Legacy all 'Auditorium Conciliazione |work =Metropolitan |date=2 March 2020 |place = IT |access-date=27 May 2020}}</ref> In a 2018 US tour they were joined by [[Trevor Horn]] on bass and [[Steve Ferrone]] on drums.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former Dire Straits Members Unite as 'Dire Straits Legacy' for Tour |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/former-dire-straits-members-unite-as-dire-straits-legacy-for-u-s-tour-717158/ |access-date=22 November 2020 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref>

In September 2021, Alan Clark released his piano solo album ''Backstory'', and in November 2021 Illsley published his autobiography ''My Life in Dire Straits''. Former Straits guitarist [[Jack Sonni]] died on 30 August 2023 at the age of 68.<ref>{{Citation |url = https://planetradio.co.uk/planet-rock/news/rock-news/dire-straits-jack-sonni-dies/ |title = Dire Straits' Jack Sonni dies |work = Planet radio |place = UK}}.</ref>

In November 2023, Illsley reiterated in an interview that he and Knopfler had no interest in reforming Dire Straits, in spite of having received large financial offers to reform. He reflected that the band members had "reached the end of the road" after the end of their final world tour in 1992, and that he was "pretty happy" when the band's run came to an end, recalling feeling "mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted" by the time Dire Straits disbanded.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/dire-straits-turn-down-huge-amounts-of-money-to-reform-3531223 |title=Dire Straits turn down "huge amounts of money" to reform |website=[[NME]] |date=5 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/dire-straits-reunion-mark-knopfler-ilsley-b2441539.html |title=Dire Straits are in demand as 'huge amounts offered' for reunion |website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |date=4 November 2023}}</ref> He said he and Knopfler had enjoyed the success of the band, despite the stress of keeping it working, and quoted Knopfler's comment that "success is great, but fame is [...] something you don't really want".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/dire-straits-turned-down-money-reunion/ |title=Dire Straits Has Turned Down 'Huge Amounts of Money' to Reunite |date=5 November 2023}}</ref> Knopfler said: "I had an absolute ball for as long as it lasted, until it got so big that I didn't know the names of all the roadies [...] It got so big, we were actually leapfrogging stages [running duplicate convoys of equipment]."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/could_a_dire_straits_reunion_happen_mark_knopfler_explains_his_position.html|title=Could a Dire Straits Reunion Happen? Mark Knopfler Explains His Position|website=www.ultimate-guitar.com}}</ref>

Dire Straits remain one of the most popular British rock bands as well as one of the world's most commercially successful artists, with total worldwide album sales of more than 120 million.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web |title=Dire Straits given plaque honour |work=BBC News |date=4 December 2009 |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8394556.stm |access-date= 25 November 2012}}</ref>