Phil Beer, born on May 12, 1953, in Exminster, Devon, England, is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer. He began playing fiddle, guitar, and mandolin while still at school in Teignmouth. Beer's first gig was at age 14 with the band Retrospect. In 1974, he started collaborating with Paul Downes as a duo. Beer toured extensively with Mike Oldfield in 1979. He joined The Albion Band in 1984, recording several albums including Under the Rose (1984) and Stella Maris (1987), and stayed with them until 1991. Show of Hands, his partnership with Steve Knightley, became a full-time project in 1991. With Show of Hands, Beer released numerous albums such as Show of Hands (1987). He also contributed to notable projects like The Rolling Stones' 1989 album Steel Wheels. In 2015, Beer received an honorary doctorate from the University of Plymouth.
