Dire Straits guitar legend Jack Sonni dead at 68

Known as “the other guitarist”, his passing was announced by the band on X. Photo / Getty Images

Dire Straits guitarist Jack Sonni has died aged 68.

Known as “the other guitarist” during the iconic group’s Brothers in Arms era, his passing was announced by the band on X.

They said alongside a black-and-white picture of the musician on stage: “#JackSonni (guitar emoji) Rest In Peace (praying hands emoji) #DireDStraits.”

His cause of death has not yet been revealed.

Brothers in Arms was the fifth album released by Dire Straits, in 1985.

Sonni had been working at the iconic New York City guitar shop Rudy’s Music Stop in the 1970s when he first met the band’s co-founders, David and Mark Knopfler.

Mark Knopfler, Jack Sonni and Sting at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in 1985. Photo / Getty Images

He played alongside the group at 1985′s Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium and news of his passing, which was posted by the band on Thursday, is prompting a flood of tributes from fans.

Born in Indiana, Pennsylvania, after his collaboration with Dire Straits, Jack went on to contribute to a series of other musicians’ works but ended his professional musical career when his twin daughters were born in 1988.

He began a second career as a marketing executive, first at Seymour Duncan, then Rivera Guitar Amplifiers followed by several years as director of marketing communications at Line 6, a manufacturer of digital technology products for musicians.

In 2001, he became vice-president of marketing communication for Guitar Centre.

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In the summer of 2006, Sonni left Guitar Centre to write books, moving to San Jose del Cabo, then California.

He was writer-in-residence and house manager at the Noepe Centre for Literary Arts on Martha’s Vineyard until its closure in 2017.

He had also returned to playing music on a regular basis with his band, The Leisure Class.