Guy Edward Fletcher (born 24 May 1960) is an English

multi-instrumentalist A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays two or more musical instruments at a professional level of proficiency. Also known as doubling, the practice allows greater ensemble flexibility and more efficient employment of musicians, where ...

, best known for his position as one of the two

keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

players in the

rock band A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two guita ...

Dire Straits Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums and percuss ...

from 1984 until the group's dissolution, and his subsequent work with Dire Straits frontman

Mark Knopfler Mark Freuder Knopfler (born 12 August 1949) is a British singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Born in Scotland and raised in England, he was the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of the rock band Dire Straits. He pursued a s ...

. Fletcher was inducted into the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...

as a member of Dire Straits in 2018.

Biography

Guy Edward Fletcher was born into a musical family and is the namesake of his uncle,

Guy Fletcher Guy Edward Fletcher (born 24 May 1960) is an English multi-instrumentalist, best known for his position as one of the two Keyboard instrument, keyboard players in the rock band Dire Straits from 1984 until the group's dissolution, and his subs ...

, who wrote several hit songs for other artists with composing partner

Doug Flett Douglas Jackson Flett (13 October 1935 – 15 July 2019) was an Australian songwriter based in the UK, best known for his collaborations with longtime songwriting partner, Guy Fletcher. Collectively, the duo have also been known as Fletcher & Fl ...

. His mother Barbara was a session singer and his father Ted Fletcher, an audio designer,
Orbitsound
created a line of audio equipment named after

Joe Meek Robert George "Joe" Meek (5 April 1929 – 3 February 1967) was an English record producer, sound engineer and songwriter who pioneered space age and experimental pop music. He also assisted in the development of recording practices like over ...

with whom he had worked. Fletcher is also the cousin of children's entertainer

Justin Fletcher Justin Fletcher (born 15 June 1970) is an English actor, comedian, singer and television presenter on the BBC pre-school television channel CBeebies. Speaking and performing in various, often self-created, roles, he specialises in slapstick co ...

. Whilst learning a trade as an audio engineer at DJM Studios in London at the age of 15, Fletcher also had a succession of his own bands and learned to play keyboards, guitars, and a variety of

stringed instruments String instruments, stringed instruments, or chordophones are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer plays or sounds the strings in some manner. Musicians play some string instruments by plucking the st ...

. He joined and toured with

Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel are a British glam rock band from the early 1970s from London. Their music covers a range of styles from pop to progressive rock. Over the years they have had five albums in the UK Albums Chart and twelve singles in ...

in 1979 and in 1981,

Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock music, rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson (musician), Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera ...

for their 'Avalon' world tour. In 1983, Fletcher was recruited by Dire Straits' lead

guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselv ...

Mark Knopfler to work on the music for the films ''

Cal Cal or CAL may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Cal'' (novel), a 1983 novel by Bernard MacLaverty * "Cal" (short story), a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov * ''Cal'' (1984 film), an Irish drama starring John Lynch and Helen Mir ...

'' and ''Comfort and Joy''. He joined Dire Straits in 1984, a year before their most successful album, '' Brothers in Arms'', which put the band in a global spotlight. In 1986, Fletcher co-produced

Belouis Some Belouis Some (born Neville Keighley; 12 December 1959) is a British singer, songwriter and musician. He had UK and Worldwide hits in the 1980s with " Some People", "Imagination" and " Round, Round" from the John Hughes film ''Pretty in Pink''. ...

's album ''

'' with

Gary Langan Gary Michael Langan (born 19 April 1956) is an English engineer, record producer, mixer and musician. Biography His career started at age 18 when he worked as an assistant engineer at Sarm East Studios, learning the craft from Gary Lyons and M ...

. In 1996, Fletcher toured as part of

Bryan Ferry Bryan Ferry Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to ' ...

's band on his Mamouna world tour. Guy Fletcher

Following the disbanding of Dire Straits in 1995, Fletcher continued his association with band founder

as a core member of his band after launching his solo career. In 2005, Fletcher completed a world tour promoting Knopfler's 2004 solo album, ''

Shangri-La Shangri-La is a fictional place in Asia's Kunlun Mountains (昆仑山), Uses the spelling 'Kuen-Lun'. described in the 1933 novel ''Lost Horizon'' by English author James Hilton. Hilton portrays Shangri-La as a mystical, harmonious valley, ge ...

'', and in 2006 rounded off the duets tour with Knopfler and

Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. She has released dozens of albums and singles over the course of her career and has won 14 Grammys, the Polar Music Prize, and numerous other honors, including ...

. Fletcher co-produced and played keyboards on his Knopfler's album, '' Get Lucky'', and was again part of his subsequent world tour in 2010.

Solo work

Fletcher's first solo album, ''Inamorata'', was released on 28 January 2008. Knopfler guested as

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...

ist for two tracks, and various musicians who have been associated with Knopfler's band also made appearances. Fletcher's second album, ''Stone'', was released in 2009; his third, ''Natural Selection'' was released in 2010 with ''High Roads'', being released in 2016. His latest album, "Anomaly" was released April 22nd 2022.

Personal life

Guy lives with his wife Laura, and their two children, Max and Leon, in

Aldwick Aldwick is a seaside civil parish in the Arun district of West Sussex, England, which contains part of the suburbs of Bognor Regis to the East . The parish includes the smaller settlement of Rose Green. It had, briefly, a home of the constituti ...

, West Sussex.

Discography

With Roxy Music

* ''The High Road'' - Live E.P. (1983) * ''Heart Still Beating'' - Live Album (1990

Soundtrack albums

* ''

'' (1984) * '' Comfort and Joy'' (1984) * ''

The Princess Bride The Princess Bride may refer to: * ''The Princess Bride'' (novel), 1973 fantasy romance novel by American writer William Goldman William Goldman (August 12, 1931 – November 16, 2018) was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He ...

'' (1987) * ''

Last Exit to Brooklyn ''Last Exit to Brooklyn'' is a 1964 novel by American author Hubert Selby Jr. The novel takes a harsh, uncompromising look at lower class Brooklyn in the 1950s written in a brusque, everyman style of prose. Critics and fellow writers praised ...

'' (1989) * ''

Wag the Dog ''Wag the Dog'' is a 1997 American political satire black comedy film produced and directed by Barry Levinson and starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro. The film centers on a spin doctor and a Hollywood producer who fabricate a war in Alb ...

'' (1998) * '' Metroland'' (1999) * ''

A Shot at Glory ''A Shot at Glory'' is a film by Michael Corrente produced in 1999 and released in 2002, starring Robert Duvall and the Scottish football player Ally McCoist. It had limited commercial and critical success. The film features the fictional Scot ...

'' (2002) * ''

Altamira Altamira may refer to: People * Altamira (surname) Places *Cave of Altamira, a cave in Cantabria, Spain famous for its paintings and carving *Altamira, Pará, a city in the Brazilian state of Pará * Altamira, Huila, a town and municipality in ...

'' (2016) with

Evelyn Glennie Dame Evelyn Elizabeth Ann Glennie, (born 19 July 1965) is a Scottish people, Scottish percussionist. She was selected as one of the two laureates for the Polar Music Prize of 2015. Early life Glennie was born in Methlick, Aberdeenshire in Sco ...

With Bryan Ferry

* '' Boys and Girls'' –

(1985) - Guy keyboards on track 2 * ''

Mamouna ''Mamouna'' is the ninth solo album by Bryan Ferry, released on Virgin Records first on 31 August 1994 in Japan and then on 5 September in the UK. It was Ferry's first album of original material in seven years and he spent six years writing and ...

'' –

(1994) - Guy synthesizers on track 10

With Dire Straits

* ''Brothers in Arms'' (1985) * ''Money for Nothing'' - Compilation - Guy keyboards on ''Walk of life'' and ''Brothers in Arms''. (1988) * ''On Every Street'' (1991) * ''On the Night'' (1993) * ''Encores'' (1993) * ''Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits'' - Compilation (1998) * ''Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler'' (2005)

With The Notting Hillbillies

Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time (1990)

With
Mark Knopfler Mark Freuder Knopfler (born 12 August 1949) is a British singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Born in Scotland and raised in England, he was the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of the rock band Dire Straits. He pursued a s ...
and
Chet Atkins Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), known as "Mr. Guitar" and "The Country Gentleman", was an American musician who, along with Owen Bradley and Bob Ferguson, helped create the Nashville sound, the country music s ...

* '' Neck and Neck (1990) - Guy Fletcher : Drums, bass, keyboards.

With Mark Knopfler

* ''

Golden Heart ''Golden Heart'' is the debut solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 26 March 1996 by Vertigo Records internationally and Warner Bros. Records in the United States. Following a successful career l ...

'' – (1996) * ''

Sailing to Philadelphia ''Sailing to Philadelphia'' is the second solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 26 September 2000 by Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album co ...

'' – (2000) * ''

The Ragpicker's Dream ''The Ragpicker's Dream'' is the third solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 30 September 2002 by Mercury Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album receiv ...

'' – (2002) * ''

'' – (2004) * ''

Kill to Get Crimson ''Kill to Get Crimson'' is the fifth solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 17 September 2007 by Mercury Records internationally and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album's title ...

'' –(2007) * '' Get Lucky'' – (2009) * ''

Privateering A privateer is a private person or ship that engages in maritime warfare under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign or deleg ...

'' – (2012) * '' Tracker'' – (2015) * ''

Down the Road Wherever ''Down the Road Wherever'' is the ninth solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 16 November 2018 by British Grove Records via Virgin EMI in the UK and via Blue Note in the US. Overview The album was ...

'' – (2018)

With Mark Knopfler &
Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. She has released dozens of albums and singles over the course of her career and has won 14 Grammys, the Polar Music Prize, and numerous other honors, including ...

* ''

All the Roadrunning ''All the Roadrunning'' is a collaboration between British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler and American singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris, released on 24 April 2006 by Mercury Records and Universal Music internationally, and by Warne ...

'' – (2006) * ''

Real Live Roadrunning ''Real Live Roadrunning'' is a collaborative live album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler and American singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris, released on 14 November 2006 by Mercury Records and Universal Music internationally, a ...

– (2006)

With Blues Club

* ''Rollin' & Tumblin' (Volume 1)'' (2011)

Collaborations

* ''

Knife A knife ( : knives; from Old Norse 'knife, dirk') is a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, usually attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least 2.5 million years ago, as evidenced ...

'' –

Aztec Camera Aztec Camera were a Scottish pop/ new wave band founded by Roddy Frame, the group's singer, songwriter, and only consistent member. Formed in 1980, Aztec Camera released a total of six studio albums: ''High Land, Hard Rain'' (1983), ''Knife'' ...

(1984) * ''

She's the Boss ''She's the Boss'' is the debut solo album by English singer Mick Jagger, released in 1985. When Jagger's group The Rolling Stones signed with Columbia/CBS Records in 1983, one of the options available to them was for individual projects, an ...

'' –

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

(1985) * ''

Break Every Rule ''Break Every Rule'' is the sixth solo studio album by Tina Turner. It was released on September 5, 1986, through Capitol Records in the US. It was the follow-up to Turner's globally successful comeback album, ''Private Dancer'', released two ye ...

'' –

Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer o ...

(1986) * '' Save the Last Dance for Me'' –

Ben E. King Benjamin Earl King (né Nelson; September 28, 1938 – April 30, 2015) was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He is best known as the singer and co-composer of " Stand by Me"—a US Top 10 hit, both in 1961 and later i ...

(1987) * '' Land of Dreams'' –

Randy Newman Randall Stuart Newman (born November 28, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist known for his Southern American English, Southern-accented singing style, early Americana (music), Americana-influenced songs (often ...

(1988) * ''

Siren Siren or sirens may refer to: Common meanings * Siren (alarm), a loud acoustic alarm used to alert people to emergencies * Siren (mythology), an enchanting but dangerous monster in Greek mythology Places * Siren (town), Wisconsin * Siren, Wisco ...

'' –

Heather Nova Heather Nova (born Heather Allison Frith, July 6, 1968) is a Bermuda, Bermudian singer-songwriter and poet. , she has released eleven full-length albums, six EPs and twelve singles. Biography Heather Nova was born Heather Allison Frith on Berm ...

(1998)

Solo

* ''Inamorata'' (28 January 2008) * ''Stone'' (16 October 2009) * ''Natural Selection'' (24 May 2010) * ''High Roads'' (2016) * ''Anomaly'' (2022)

References

External links

GuyFletcher.co.uk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fletcher, Guy 1960 births Living people English keyboardists English male guitarists English session musicians English record producers People from Maidstone Dire Straits members Musicians from Kent The Notting Hillbillies members

Biography

Solo work

Personal life

Discography

With Roxy Music

Soundtrack albums

With Bryan Ferry

With Dire Straits

With The Notting Hillbillies

With Mark Knopfler

With Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. She has released dozens of albums and singles over the course of her career and has won 14 Grammys, the Polar Music Prize, and numerous other honors, including ...

With Blues Club

Collaborations

Solo

References

External links

With Mark Knopfler &
Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. She has released dozens of albums and singles over the course of her career and has won 14 Grammys, the Polar Music Prize, and numerous other honors, including ...