keys was born on 8 march 1919, the son of christopher richard keys. described as a "child prodigy", keys became the youngest fellow of the royal college of organists while at school at christ's hospital. after attending the royal college of music, he went up to christ church, oxford, in 1938 where he was the organ scholar and assistant organist. during the second world war, he served in kenya, and resumed his education at christ church on demobilisation in 1946. in 1947, he was appointed to a lectureship at queen's university belfast; he helped to create the bachelor of music degree programme at queen's. promotion to a readership followed in 1950, and when the university created the hamilton harty professorship of music, keys became the first holder in 1951. he moved to the university of nottingham in 1954 to take up its first chair of music; while there, he oversaw a period of expansion in its music department and helped to foster links between the university and the people of nottingham, some of whom sang in the nottingham bach society. he moved again, in 1968, to take up the peyton and barber professorship of music at the university of birmingham; he worked with the birmingham school of music to incorporate performance into the university's music degree and established a degree jointly in music, drama and dance. on retirement in 1986, he was appointed to an emeritus professorship at birmingham. in the meantime, he had been president of the royal college of organists (1968–70) and was a long-serving member of its council.