Freddie Keil

Who was Freddie Keil?

Freddie Keil was a musician most notable as a member of The Keil Isles in New Zealand in the 1950s and 1960s. The former dry cleaner was born in Western Samoa and was part German. He migrated to New Zealand. 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 Keil recorded some singles under his own name as well. Later Freddie Keil moved to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, married a Cook Islander and had two daughters. Freddie also started the 'first' FM Radio Station in the South Pacific Area at Rarotonga and long before New Zealand had ever gone FM.

Keil died in 1994 in Rarotonga.