A 12-year-old boy caught the attention of Mark Knopfler when he performed Local Hero on his guitar outside St James' Park.
Joe Bartley, from Denton Burn, Newcastle, played for 45 minutes on his Gibson guitar ahead of Newcastle United's opening Premier League match against Nottingham Forest. When he finished, he donated around half of his busking money to the to the Newcastle West End Foodbank.
Just days later, Joe donated the other half of his money to Maggie's Newcastle, a cancer care centre which his grandmother Gwenda Fletcher, 71, visits at the Freeman Hospital. The youngster also performed for visitors in the garden.
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On Tuesday morning, Joe received a signed vinyl of Local Hero along with a note from the former Dire Straits singer. The note read: "You're sounding dead good, Joe. Stick at it! Very best wishes, Mark Knopfler '
Joe told Chronicle Live: "It's just mental, I couldn't believe it! It's signed as well. I never thought he would see it."
Joe's mum Tanya Bartley, 41, said: "It's just overwhelming. For someone so famous to get in touch is absolutely amazing. It's just gives Joe that little boost to want to stick at it and do it as a career. I know he's only 12 but I think he's decided this is what he wants to do. We will have to buy a record player now!"
Joe taught himself how to play the instrument during the coronavirus lockdown by watching YouTube videos. He learned how to play Mark Knopfler's much-loved tune as well as hits by Sam Fender, Oasis and ACDC.
When he returned to school, Joe began having a half hour guitar lesson each week and is now a grade seven. He used some of his birthday money to purchase a new amp and asked his parents if he could start busking in Newcastle city centre.
His family accompanied him as he performed outside St James' Park for the very first time on Saturday, August 6. Joe, who is a season ticket holder with his dad Ray 53, then gave half of his busking money to the Newcastle West End Foodbank.
He said: "During most home games we give the food bank some money anyway and I thought why not. We just tipped the coins into their basket, it was about £60 to £70."
Four days later, Joe went to Maggie's Newcastle, where Gwenda, who has a brain tumour, attends a support group for people with secondary cancer. He decided to donate £85 - the other half of his busking money - to the centre.
Tanya, who works as a senior analyst at a local pharmaceutical supplier, said: "Joe's quite close to his grandma. He asked if he could donate the rest of his money to the Maggie's group. When I told Karen, who runs the centre, she asked him to come along and play."
Joe said: "It's better to give it to a charity that needs it than me having it. Maggie's was really good. All the people who were attending the group were really nice to me and they were saying I was really good.
"There's a VIP night in October and they're trying to get Sam Fender down as well. They've asked me to go along and play in the entrance for people coming in."
Mark Knopfler's management company Crockford Management sent Joe the signed vinyl after spotting the story about him on Chronicle Live. They also included a handwritten note which said:
"It was lovely to read the story about you busking and learning to play guitar. Donating the proceeds to the food bank and Maggies is very admirable, and a great way of using music for good! We've sent you a Local Hero soundtrack vinyl, and passing along a note from Mark."
Joe plans to continue busking outside the football ground and he will donate money, which he raises on a match day, to the Newcastle West End Foodbank and Maggie's Newcastle.
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