In 1952, guitarist Phil Palmer was born on Sept. 9 in London, England. Now 74, the veteran musician can look back on a career that has included a stint with Dire Straits, thousands of recording credits and collaborations with some of the biggest names in music.
Palmer joined Dire Straits during the band’s final studio era, playing on 1991’s On Every Street. The album went straight to No. 1 in the U.K. and eventually sold 15 million copies worldwide.
He then hit the road with the group for its massive On Every Street Tour, playing alongside Mark Knopfler as Dire Straits performed approximately 300 shows for some 7.1 million ticket buyers before the tour concluded in October 1992. It would prove to be the band’s final world tour.
But Dire Straits represents just one chapter in Palmer’s extraordinary résumé.
The guitarist has worked with Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, George Michael, Roger Daltrey, Bryan Adams, Iggy Pop and many more. He’s also a songwriter, co-writing “I’m No Angel” with Peter Blegvad. Bill Medley recorded the song before the Gregg Allman Band released its own version in 1987.
Palmer’s musical connections began long before he became one of rock’s busiest guitarists. He was born into a remarkable musical family: Ray and Dave Davies of The Kinks are his maternal uncles.
Still, Palmer built a formidable résumé entirely his own.
By 2021, he had reportedly appeared on more than 500 albums and more than 5,000 songs, a staggering total accumulated over decades as an in-demand session and touring guitarist.
His album credits include Eric Clapton’s Journeyman, George Michael’s Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 and Tina Turner’s Foreign Affair, along with recordings by artists ranging from Céline Dion and Pet Shop Boys to Tears for Fears and the Spice Girls.
His Dire Straits connection didn’t completely disappear after the band’s final tour, either. In 2011, Palmer joined fellow former Dire Straits musicians Alan Clark and Chris White, along with drummer Steve Ferrone, to form The Straits for a charity performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Palmer has also performed in various lineups under the Dire Straits Legends and Dire Straits Legacy names.
Palmer’s career has taken him to some particularly enormous stages along the way. He performed as part of the backing band at the Queen’s Golden Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace in 2002, and two years later served as musical director for The Strat Pack concert at Wembley Arena, celebrating 50 years of the Fender Stratocaster.
At 74, Palmer’s name may still be less familiar than many of the stars he’s played beside, but with more than 5,000 song credits, his guitar has been heard by generations of music fans.
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