The former dry cleaner was born in Western Samoa and was part German.
In the 1950s he joined cousins Olaf, Rudolf, Klaus and Herma Keil and they became The Keil Isles which went on to become one of New Zealand's most successful groups of the 1950s and 1960s.
After having a falling-out with his cousin Herma he left the band and formed his own group The Zodiacs who were to eventually change into Freddie Keil and the Kavaliers.
After releasing 11 singles on the Zodiac Records label and an LP up to 1965 they broke up.
Freddie also started the 'first' FM Radio Station in the South Pacific Area at Rarotonga and long before New Zealand had ever gone FM.