Karel Plíhal is a Czech folk and jazz musician, singer, songwriter and record producer.
He graduated from the Industrial College of Engineering and then worked as a designer and boilerman in the Olomouc theatre, finally becoming a singer. He has played the guitar since he was 15 years old. First, he played in various underground country-swing bands in Olomouc: Hučka, Falešní hráči and Plíharmonyje. He produced his first solo album in 1983. Between 1985 and 1993, Plíhal worked with Emil Pospíšil, and from 1995 to 1999 he produced music with Petr Freund. He has also won four Porta folk music awards as of 2006. His 2005 album Karel Plíhal in Olomouc was recorded in his home town in Moravia in a 2004 concert.
Plíhal has composed music for numerous productions at the Moravian Theatre in Olomouc, among others Zlatovláska, Sluha dvou pánů, Utrpení Dona Perlimplína, Manon Lescaut, Cyrano, Zimní pohádka, Pašije and Giroflé-Giroflá. He has set music to a few of Josef Kainar's poems, and he has directed recording for albums by artists such as Jarek Nohavica, Petr Fiala, Eben brothers and Bokomara band.
He starred as himself in Petr Zelenka's mockumentary Year of the Devil.