Frankie Stevens (born Francis Donald McKechnie StevensoninWellington, 1950), MNZM, is a New Zealand entertainer and singer. He was a judge for all three seasons on the reality series New Zealand Idol. He is the brother of singer Jon Stevens. He is of Scottish and of Maori descent.[1]
He got his start singing in a band while at Heretaunga College.[2]
He began his career at the age of 16, when he moved to Sydney, Australia to join a group called "Peter Nelson and the Castaways". After several years of touring and recording with the group, he went solo.
As a solo artist, his first record "My Elusive Dreams" in 1969 was a major hit in New Zealand.[3]
In 1994, he played the High Priest Caiaphas in the New Zealand tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, and later the '94-95' tour of Australia - with his younger brother Jon playing Judas.[3]
Stevens has been honoured by his home town of Upper Hutt, which named a street in the suburb of Riverstone Terraces, Frankie Stevens Place, after the entertainer.
He is an ambassador of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand.
In October 2015 he was presented with a Scroll of Honour from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand for his contribution to the New Zealand entertainment industry.
