Mary Hopkin was born in Pontardawe, Wales on 3 May 1950. In her teens she made some modest success as a Welsh folk singer until one day, on 4 May, 1968, one day after her 18th birthday, she appeared on the television talent show _"Opportunity Knocks" which became an international number one hit and shot her to stardom. In less than a year, her first LP album, 'Postcard', appeared. Over the next four years or so she was unmistakeably one of the great international singing stars. However, in the early seventies her stardom began to wane because of her reluctance to participate in the rock-and-roll craze of that era.
Got a big boost from The Beatles and their friends, in launching her first album; singer-songwriters Harry Nilsson and Donovan , and even producer George Martin , all contributed songs, with Donovan also singing a duet with her on her album and for a live appearance. Paul McCartney produced the sessions, selecting and arranging many of the tunes.
Her first single, "Those Were The Days", was included in an exclusive box set of Apples first four releases, presented to a handful of VIPs in 1968, including Britains Queen Mother.
Disliked the "schoolgirl" image associated with her, as an Apple Records artist, and became one of the first artists to leave Apple.
Recorded under her married name (Mary Visconti) as a background vocalist for other artists that her husband produced.
Finally revisited her Apple Records releases in the mid-1990s, choosing tracks for an extended CD reissue of her best-ofs album. Shed also begun recording new music, this time with her son.
