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Welsh folk-pop singer-songwriter who achieved international fame in the late 1960s after being discovered by Paul McCartney and signed to The Beatles' Apple Records label.Born in Pontardawe, Wales, Mary Hopkin rose to prominence in 1968 after winning the TV talent show 'Opportunity Knocks'. Her demo tape reached Paul McCartney, who signed her to Apple Records. Her debut single, 'Those Were the Days', produced by McCartney, became a massive global hit in 1968. Her subsequent albums, including the McCartney-produced 'Post Card' (1969), blended pop with folk influences. She represented the UK in the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Knock, Knock Who's There?', finishing second. She married producer Tony Visconti in 1971, largely retired from the spotlight to raise a family, and later returned to music with a stronger folk focus.

• Paul McCartney heard Hopkin's demo tape (a version of 'Turn! Turn! Turn!') after model Twiggy, a fan of the TV show performance, brought it to his attention.
• Her debut single, 'Those Were the Days' (a cover of a Russian folk song adapted into English), was a massive worldwide hit, topping charts in the UK, US, and numerous other countries.
• Despite her initial success on Apple Records, Hopkin reportedly grew frustrated with the pop direction and yearned to perform more folk-oriented material, leading to some creative tension.
• Her participation in Eurovision 1970 was controversial; some felt the song was too lightweight, and her second-place finish behind Ireland's Dana was seen as a disappointment by many in the UK.
• After marrying famed producer Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T.Rex) in 1971, she significantly scaled back her music career for over a decade to focus on family life.
• She returned to recording in the 1980s and beyond, primarily focusing on Welsh folk music and collaborating with artists like her son Morgan Visconti and former Beatles associate Pete Townshend.