Fil Campbell … has been likened to a lot of female performers, but can be compared to none. She has a unique voice and a knack of making every song her own.” The Word (Ireland)
Fil's first CD, The Light Beyond the Woods, was recorded in 1992 in the world famous Spring Studios in Rostrevor, home of the Sands Family. Dreaming was recorded in 1996 - the title song, a commentary on life in Northern Ireland during the turbulent 90s, was written while travelling in Germany. It won the prestigious Letterkenny Song Festival. Beneath the Calm was a further collection of Fil's songs, released in 2002.
Fil's first band, Misty Morning, named after a song she wrote while still at school, accompanied her through her years at Queens University in Belfast where she also became part of the local promoting scene. After a stint running the now extinct Fringe Festival, she travelled with bands for a few years and eventually settled back in Belfast where she worked as a music publicist and promoter for many of the biggest gigs in Ireland at the time, under the supervision of the late great Jim Aiken. During this time she continued singing with bands and as a solo performer and backing vocalist, and added radio presenting to her portfolio as the regular voice of folk music on the airwaves of local BBC Radio.
- She has a degree in Arts from Queen’s University, Belfast - one of her main subjects being Music and her speciality Russian Opera.
- Fil worked as a music publicist for many years, promoting major shows like Queen at Slane Castle, the Bolshoi Ballet, and Rod Stewart. She also promoted shows for Ulster Television, local radio stations, and even promoted a Dolphin Show (!)
- She was a backing vocalist for RTE Television and for several studio sessions, sang in a cabaret band in the Middle East and sang in several operas. She plays flute, piano and guitar and has also played harp.
- Songbirds DVD Winner of 2006 JP Folks Video Award.
- She was the first ever performer in Belfast's Stormont Castle - Fil, together with Tom McFarland and guitarist Dermot McQuaid played for Mo Mowlam's concert in 1998 to celebrate the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
- Fil was writing winning songs as early as 1977 when she was a prize winner at the Manorhamilton Song Contest and in a special teenager’s song contest in Dublin. "Dreaming" won the Letterkenny SongContest in the late 90s and she received the runner - up prize at Glinsk in 2002 for "Hold My Heart"
- In 2001 Fil and Tom joined 3 other Rostrevor based musicians, Maria Flynn, Dermot McQuaid and Peter Benson for a one off concert under the name of Jaimidi - the concert and subsequent CD was called the Turn of the Day and celebrated the Summer Solstice of that year with songs, poetry and stories.
- While she was still at school Fil reached the final stages of the Voice of Ireland competition, represented Ulster in the Scor na nOg and sang with several showbands in a series of Peace Concerts across Northern Ireland.
- The year she graduated Fil directed the Belfast Fringe Festival and was the first promoter to give U2 a gig in the North of Ireland. They supported Squeeze!
- Fil was 5 when she first appeared on stage.
- Fil is the Irish spelling of Phil – she changed her name from Phil to avoid confusion with the male Phil Campbell’s in the music industry of which there are many. In fact, there is a town in America called Phil Campbell?!! True!!