He had been suffering from emphysema for several years and had been unable to work since 2001.
A family friend, Eric St John-Foti, said: "He was so full of life, and full of jokes. He was exactly the same as he was on stage, he did not have two personas.
"It is a sad loss, Freddie was part of the 1960s and drew comparisons with the Beatles."
Formed in 1959, Freddie and the Dreamers, which also included Roy Crewsdon, Derek Quinn, Pete Birrell and Bernie Dwyer, had to wait almost five years for their first break.
They appeared at the Cavern 14 times from July 1962, including once on the same bill as the Beatles in September 1962.
After passing an audition for the BBC, they were signed to Columbia Records (EMI).
Mr Garrity's first single, a cover of the James Ray US chart hit If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody, gave him his first Top Ten success.
It was followed over the next two years by a string of hits including I'm Telling You Now, You Were Made For Me, Over You, I Love You Baby and I Understand.
In 2001, he was returning from an appearance in New York when he was taken seriously ill on the flight home and rushed to hospital on landing.
It was feared he had suffered a heart attack which eventually proved negative, but it was then that emphysema was discovered.
Mr Garrity was married three times and had four children. His third wife, Christine, was at his bedside when he passed away at Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital, in Bangor, North Wales.
