Pete Townshend has joined a stellar lineup of legendary musicians on the new charity single, Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes Going Home (Theme from Local Hero), which was released by BMG on March 15th. All proceeds from the song will go to support Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America.
The song features an impressive list of over 50 guitarists who each contributed their trademark guitar sound, including Jeff Beck, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Brian May, Phil Manzanera, Sheryl Crow, Nile Rodgers, Joe Walsh, Ronnie Wood, Joan Jett, Peter Frampton, Tony Iommi, Bruce Springsteen, Slash, and of course Mark Knopfler. It turned out to be the final recording of Jeff Beck, who passed away in 2023. Also on the track is Roger Daltrey (TCT’s Honorary Patron and co-founder of TCA with Pete Townshend) who plays harmonica, Ringo Starr and Zak Starkey on drums, and Sting on bass.
The track was produced by Mark Knopfler’s longtime collaborator Guy Fletcher and recorded at British Grove Studios in West London. Everyone’s distinctive parts were recorded separately, either in person at British Groves or sent in from the musicians own studios. The pieces were then compiled into the anthemic 9 minute remake of Going Home, the instrumental that was first released on the Local Hero film soundtrack in 1983.
In a press statement, Mark 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.”
Here is the full list of Guitar Heroes contributors:
Joan Armatrading, Jeff Beck, Richard Bennett, Joe Bonamassa, Joe Brown, James Burton, Jonathan Cain, Paul Carrack, Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder, Jim Cox, Steve Cropper, Sheryl Crow, Danny Cummings, Roger Daltrey, Duane Eddy, Sam Fender, Guy Fletcher, Peter Frampton, Audley Freed, Vince Gill, David Gilmour, Buddy Guy, Keiji Haino, Tony Iommi, Joan Jett, John Jorgenson, Mark Knopfler, Sonny Landreth, Albert Lee, Greg Leisz, Alex Lifeson, Steve Lukather, Phil Manzanera, Dave Mason, Hank Marvin, Brian May, Robbie McIntosh, John McLaughlin, Tom Morello, Rick Nielsen, Orianthi, Brad Paisley, Nile Rodgers, Mike Rutherford, Joe Satriani, John Sebastian, Connor Selby, Slash, Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr and Zak Starkey, Sting, Andy Taylor, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, Ian Thomas, Pete Townshend, Keith Urban, Steve Vai, Waddy Wachtel, Joe Louis Walker, Joe Walsh, Ronnie Wood, Glenn Worf, Zucchero.
The artwork for the single is by legendary artist Sir Peter Blake, and the collage of musicians is reminiscent of his famous masterpiece, the album cover for the Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. The artist has signed a limited edition of 150 signed prints to benefit TCT which are available to purchase here.
Physical formats of the single are available on CD, 12” vinyl and deluxe CD+BluRay with Dolby Atmos mix.
For more information, please visit the Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America websites.
