April 24th
Mary receives phone call from Teddington Studios to ask if she would appear on Opportunity Knocks on May 4th.
May 3rd
Mary's first Cambrian Recording, Llais Swynol, is released on her birthday.
May 4th
Mary's first appearance on Opportunity Knocks. She sings 'Turn Turn Turn'.
June 11th
Mary filmed at EMI with Paul McCartney for an Apple promo film. Mary and Paul are filmed listening to a playback of one of her first recordings.
June 16th
Mary appears with Paul McCartney on David Frost Presents along with Frankie Howerd, to be shown in the USA only. Mary sings 'House Of The Rising Sun'.
July 17th
Mary attends Yellow Submarine Premiere.
August 31st
Mary appears on front page of Disc and Music Echo. Headline states that Sandie Shaw is to rush release her version of 'Those Were The Days' in direct competition with Mary and Apple!
August 31st
'Those Were The Days' released.
September 6th
Mary and Paul McCartney filmed together for the Magpie children's programme on ITV.
October 2nd
Appears at St Paul's Cathedral London for the Pop Experience. Sings 'Morning Of My Life', 'Turn Turn Turn' and 'Plasir D'Amour'.
October 5th
Mary guests on London Weekend's TV Startime.
October 19th
Mary travels to Stockholm to promote 'Those Were the Days' which was number 1 in Sweden. She sang on a programme called Timmen (The Hour) broadcast on Saturday night. This was when Sweden only had one TV channel so everybody watched it. She also sang 'Turn Turn Turn' and there was a lot of coverage in the press. A Swedish TV man had seen Mary perform in St. Paul's cathedral and had managed to get her to Sweden for a small fee only as the press reported, otherwise it would have been too expensive for Swedish TV. She left for the UK on Sunday morning so it was only a short stay. (This item courtesy of Lars Thoren, Sweden.)
October 26th
Mary attends Donovan concert at Madison Square Gardens, New York. (This item courtesy of Anders Fogelklou.)
October 27th
Mary appears on the Ed Sullivan Show.
November 6th
Mary appears on special gala edition of Opportunity Knocks and receives the Variety Club Silver Award.
December 15th
Mary is offered (and declines) role in new film The Rape of the Fair Country to be produced by Stanley Baker. She also is to record the theme music for the new film, Where's Jack.
December 23rd
Mary attends the Apple Christmas Party in the Apple Building.
December 26th
Appears on the Top of The Pops Christmas Special.
January 19th
Start of the Midem Song Festival in Cannes. Mary sings at Midem. She opens with 'The Puppy Song', then 'Plaisir d'Amour' and finishes with 'Those Were the Days'.
February 13th
A launch party was held for the release of Mary's album Postcard at the Post Office Tower in London.
The party was organised by Apple Records. Guests included Paul McCartney, his new girlfriend Linda Eastman, Donovan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Brian Jones.
Mary remembers one particular detail: "My family came down from Wales and in the throng of people we lost my 80-year-old grandmother, Blodwen. When the crowd parted we saw her in the corner talking to Jimi Hendrix. Afterwards she said she had been talking to 'a nice little boy' who had been asking about milking the cows and feeding the chickens. I think he was fascinated by this funny little Welsh lady."
February 21st
Postcard released.
February 25th
Paul introduces Mary on the David Frost Show in the US.
March 1st
'Goodbye' recorded at Morgan Studios in London. Tony Bramwell of Apple attended the session and filmed some of it on 16mm film to be used as as a promo. But while one was made - showing Paul and Mary talking and working - not miming - it wasn't shown on any British TV programmes nor it seems was a second clip a colour film of Mary (alone) performing the song amid buttercups, shot in the back garden of Paul's house in St. John's Wood.
March 4th
Mary visits the set of the Magic Christian Film at Twickenham Film Studios.
March 7th
30 Date Tour of the UK starts with Engelbert Humperdink. First date is the Northampton ABC. Mary is presented with a talking doll on the opening night!
March 8th - Hanley Gaumont
March 9th - Liverpool Empire
March 11th - Gloucester ABC
March 12th - Capital Cardiff
March 13th - Plymouth ABC
March 14th - Exeter ABC
March 15th - Bournemouth Winter Gardens
March 16th - De Montfort Hall, Leicester
March 18th - Peterborough ABC
March 19th - Hull ABC
March 20th - Lincoln ABC
March 21st - Worcester Gaumont
March 22nd - Birmingham Odeon
March 23rd - Hammersmith Odeon, London
March 25th - Chester ABC
March 26th - Stockton ABC
March 27th - Carlisle ABC
March 28th - Glasgow Odeon
March 28th
'Goodbye' is released. 'Sparrow' is the B-side.
March 29th - Newcastle Odeon
March 30th - Coventry Theatre
March 31st - Extra date added to tour - Oxford New Theatre
April 1st - Ipswich Gaumont
April 2nd - Portsmouth Guild Hall
April 3rd - Cambridge Regal
April 5th
'Goodbye' is featured on Top of the Pops
April 5th/6th/7th - Blackpool ABC
April 9th - Belfast ABC
April 10th - Dublin Adelphi
April 11th - Cork Savoy Cinema
April 12th - Manchester Odeon
April 13th - Golders Green Odeon
April 27th
Mary leaves for the States for a 12 day stay for Concert Dates and TV
May 26th
Opens for a one week engagement at the O'Keefe Centre, Toronto, Canada with Englebert Humperdinck.
June 2nd
Starts 2 week cabaret season at the Americana Hotel, New York, with Tom Jones.
June 20th
Begins 10 date tour of South America, taking in Buenos Aires, Santiago, Rio de Janeiro and Mexico City.
July 9th
Performs in Rio de Janeiro, at the International Song Festival.
August 8th
Mary is invited by the BBC to represent the UK in the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest
August 10th
Mary appears in 2 shows at the ABC Blackpool
August 19th
Mary leaves for the United States to appear at 2 State Fairs
August 20th
Appears at the Rochester State Fair, New York
August 21st
Appears at the Ohio State Fair
October 3rd
Disc reports Terry Doran replaced by Carole Hopkin as Mary's personal manager
October 3rd
Planned UK release of 'Fields of St Etienne' cancelled
October 13th
Starts 3 Week season at the Savoy Hotel In London
December
Mary acquires a ten week Irish Setter puppy and calls him Barnaby Rudge
December
The Pantomime Dick Whittington with Tommy Steele begins its run at the London Palladium
December 23rd
Mary attends the Apple Christmas Party in the Apple Offices
January 1st
Mary writes letter to fan club, to wish everyone a happy new year.
January 4th
Mary contributed backing vocals for the 'Let it Be' single. It has been falsely stated that she left before singing.
January 30th
'Temma Harbour' released. The B-side is 'Lontano Dagli Occhi'.
January 31st
Second appearance on The Cliff Richard Show. Mary sings 'Early in the Morning of your Life'.
February 7th
Mickie Most answered criticism in the papers that the release of 'Temma Harbour' might hinder her Eurovision chances. He says he would like to see two Mary Hopkin records in the charts at the same time. He also commented that Mary was drawing up a list of songs for his approval, ones that she has personally chosen, and they would go into the studio to record them for her next album.
February 7th
Third appearance on The Cliff Richard Show singing 'I'm Going to Fall in Love Again'
February 14th
Fourth appearance on The Cliff Richard Show singing 'You've Everthing you Need'
February 21st
Fifth appearance on The Cliff Richard Show singing 'Can I Believe'
February 28th
Sixth appearance on The Cliff Richard Show singing 'Knock Knock Who's There'
March 7th
Mary sings all 6 songs for Europe on The Cliff Richard Show from which the viewers then have to chose the winning song.
March 14th
The winning song is chosen to represent the UK on the Cliff Richard Show, and surprise surprise it's 'Knock Knock Who's There'
March 21st
Mary represents the UK in Amsterdam in the Eurovision Song Contest. 'Knock Knock' comes second.
March 23rd
'Knock Knock' released. The B-side is 'I'm Going to Fall In Love Again'.
May 1st
'Knock Knock' is at number 9 in the NME charts.
May 8th
'Knock Knock' is at number 17 in the MM charts.
June 11th
Mary filmed at EMI with Paul McCartney for Apple Promo Film
July 1st
Mary arrives in Tokyo, Japan to perform at Expo '70. Accompanying her are Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle, Tony Evans her musical director, Paco Peña and his company, and her family. There is a brief press conference at the airport, after which everyone travels by plane to Osaka.
July 2nd
Press conference and rehearsals at the Expo Hall (to 10:00pm)
July 3rd
Mary sees the sights of Kyoto with her parents
July 4th
Mary Hopkin show at the Expo Hall (two shows)
July 5th
Mary Hopkin show at the Expo Hall (two shows)
July 6th
Mary Hopkin show at the Expo Hall (two shows)
July 7th
Mary Hopkin show at the Expo Hall (afternoon show only). Mary and company fly home that night.
July 12th
A special TV program is aired
August 6th
Mary becomes a Bardd of the Gorsedd, in a ceremony in Ammanford West Wales
August 27th
Mary signed to play Cinderella at the Manchester Opera House
October 8th
Appears on Top Of The Pops
October 16th
'Think About Your Children' released. The B-side is 'Heritage'.
October 17th
Appears on The Harry Secombe Show on BBC TV, singing 'Think About Your Children', and duets on 'Dafydd Y Garreg Wen'.
October 31st
Mary appears on The Rolf Harris Show
November 1st
Mary's own 6 part TV series starts on BBC TV, called In the Land Of...
December 17th
Opens at Manchester Opera House in the pantomime Cinderella
February 14th
Voted "Miss Valentine" and "Britain's Number 1 Singer"
February 27th
The Cinderella pantomime comes to an end in Manchester
May 3rd
Mary's 21st Birthday. She goes to see the ballet Coppelia performed by the Sadlers Wells Ballet Company
May 7th
BBC 1 show a re-run of the In The Land Of... series
May 14th
Mary takes part in a televised programme onboard a jumbo jet flying to the United States for The David Frost Show, only shown in the States. She sings two songs which were transmitted live: 'Let My Name Be Sorrow' and the 'Streets of London'.
June 2nd
Mary sings 'Jefferson' on The Morcambe and Wise Show on BBC2.
June 15th
Starts rehearsals for the Margate Summer Show
June 18th
'Let My Name Be Sorrow' released. The B-side was 'Kew Gardens'.
June 20th
Starts a 12 Week summer season at the Winter Gardens Margate
July
Newspapers report that Apple have taken up an option to renew her contract and that 'Let My Name be Sorrow' will not now be her last recording for Apple.
October 1st
Earth Song Ocean Song released
October
Mary records theme song at Pinewood Studios for Kidnapped
October 20th
Mary records film for US TV...
October 22nd
Mary flies to Holland for a TV show
November 26th
'Water Paper and Clay' released. 'Jefferson' is the B-side.
November
Interview and sings on BBC Radio's Paul Burnett Show
December 17th
Interview and sings on Welsh news programme
December 19th
Mary appears on Jimmy Saville's Speakeasy Radio Show. Mary sings 'Jefferson', 'Dafydd Y Garreg Wen', 'Water Paper and Clay' and 'Ocean Song'.
December 26th Sunday
The Golden Shot TV Show. Mary sings 'Jefferson'
Mary sings backing vocals on Not Till Tomorrow by Ralph McTell, produced by Tony Visconti.
January 27th
Appears at Melbourne Town Hall, Australia with Tom Paxton. Accompanied by Brian Willoughby and Tony Visconti. Mary has sung on two albums for Tom this year, Peace Will Come and New Songs for Old Friends
January 28th
Sydney Town Hall with Tom Paxton
January 29th
Brisbane Town Hall with Tom Paxton
February 12th
Appears on Australian Channel 9 Bandstand singing 'International' and 'Water Paper and Clay'
February 21st
Broadcast of Sounds of the Seventies
March
Announces departure from Apple Records
March 20th
Mary goes into studio to record new album to be produced by Tony Visconti. These recordings now available on Mary Hopkin Music.
April 18th
Flies to Israel for concert in Tel Aviv
May 11th
Ralph McTell / Mary Hopkin tour starts at the Oxford Festival Theatre
May 20th
Ralph McTell / Mary Hopkin Royal Festival Hall, London. Live album released in 2005 on Mary Hopkin Music.
June
'Summertime Summertime/Sweet And Low' released with Hobbyhorse on Bell Records.
July 29th
One-off TV special on BBC1, Sing Hi, Sing Lo.
August 8th
Liquidator appointed to wind up Mary Hopkin (Overseas) Ltd
November 17th
Those Were The Days (the best of album) released
December
Mary Had a Baby/Cherry Tree Carol' released on Regal Zonophone. Now available on Christmas Songs EP from Mary Hopkin Music.
Mary sings backing vocals on Moonshine by Bert Jansch.
February 16th
Mary appears on The Cilla Black Show. She sings 'Shamarack' and duets with Cilla on 'Both Sides Now'
May 11th
Mary on Capital Radio's Night Flight with Robbie Barish. She sings 'Once I had a Sweetheart', 'With You or Without You', 'Y Deryn Pur' and 'Ocean Song'.
March 6th
'If You Love Me (Really Love Me)' released on Good Earth Records. 'Tell Me Now' by Mary was the B-side. It reached Number 32 in the UK chart. Both available on Now And Then from Mary Hopkin Music.
April
Mary appears on the BBC Top of the Pops show and sings 'If You Love Me'
Records backing vocals on Low by David Bowie on 'Sound and Vision' at the Chateau d'Herouville. The "Doo doo doo" line was recorded in unison with Brian Eno.
April 27th
Pop At The Mill screened on BBC 1. Mary sings 'Wrap Me In Your Arms' and 'Turn Turn Turn'
May 7th
'Wrap Me In Your Arms' is released on Good Earth Records. 'Just a Dreamer' by Mary is the B-side.
July 16th
King of Elfland's Daughter, by Bob Johnson and Peter Knight of Steeleye Span, released. Mary plays Princes Lizrael.
August
Mary appears with Bert Jansch at the Cambridge Folk Festival. She sings a couple of songs which includes Jansch's 'Ask Your Daddy'.
November 26th
'Beyond the Fields We Know' released
Mary sings backing vocals on Tony Visconti's Inventory.
March 20th
Final Opportunity Knocks show. Mary sings 'Those Were The Days'.
December 6th
Appears on ITV Show Wednesday at Eight. Sings her own composition, 'Another Day'.
March 24th
Decca releases The Welsh World of Mary Hopkin
April 11th
Rock and Pop Awards for 1978 on BBC1. Mary presents award to Ian Dury. Leo Sayer is co-presenter.
January 4th
Highways TV Show. Mary sings 'The Coming of the Roads'.
March 29th
Mary appears in A Victorian Extravaganza at the Kenton Theatre, Henley on Thames. She sings 'Sweet and Low' and 'The Boy I Love is Up in the Gallery'.
December 5th
Rehearsals start for Rock Nativity in Reading's Hexagon theatre
December 17th
Rock Nativity opens in the Hexagon. Show ends on January 17th 1981
March 12th
Mary sings 'Those Were The Days' on ITV's Greatest Hits"
October 16th
'What's Love' by Sundance released, and tour starts as support to Dr Hook at the Manchester Apollo
October 17th - Leicester De Montfort Hall
October 19th - Preston GuildHall
October 20th - Glasgow Apollo
October 22nd - Edinburgh Playhouse
October 23rd - Newcastle City Hall. Sundance did not appear as Mary fell ill.
October 24th - Sheffield City Hall
October 27th - Colston Hall Bristol
October 28th - Cornish Colisseum, St. Austell
October 17th - Birmingham Odeon
November 2nd - Wembley Arena, London
November 3rd - Wembley Arena, London
November 4th - Gaumont Southampton
November 5th - Brighton Conference Centre
November 11th
Sundance's first TV appearance on the Michael Parkinson Show. They sing 'What's Love'.
November 18th
Sundance appear on BBC TV's Pebble Mill. They sing 'What's Love' and 'Cottonfields'.
Mary, Morgan and Jessica sing backing vocals on Cover Plus by Hazel O'Connor.
Sings on 'Rachel's Song' for Vangelis on the Bladerunner soundtrack. The song didnt make it into the film but was released on the soundtrack album.Stream from Amazon.
January 21st
Grampian TV screens a Sundance Show as part of the Entertainers Series.
February 15th
Newspaper reports Mary "Sacked From Sundance!"
February 27th
The NME reports former Miss World Mary Stavin is to replace Mary in Sundance!
November 1st
Interview for BBC Radio Wales.
Mary sings backing vocals on Stages by Elaine Paige.
February 13th
Screening of 60 years of BBC Wales. Mary sings 'Aderyn Pur' and 'We'll Keep a Welcome in the Hillside'.
December 12th
Mary appears at the London Palladium with Ralph McTell.
April 20th
John Dunn Show BBC Radio 2, interview to promote Oasis.
April 24th
Personal Appearance at Harrods London to sign copies of the Oasis Album
August 3rd
'I Wonder Why', Oasis single released on WEA, tour postponed due to illness of Mary Hopkin
Mary sings two songs, 'Evolution' and 'The Circle' on The Collector by Marc Cerrone.
September 12th
Great article in Rolling Stone magazine
June 15th
Mary, George Harrison, his wife Olivia and others take part in a protest over the closure of the Regal Cinema in Henley on Thames.
Mary sings backing vocals on Christmas by Elaine Paige. Jessica also sings backing vocals along with the Minipops.
Under Milk Wood album released. Produced by George Martin and featuring Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce, Bonnie Tyler, Mary Hopkin and many others.
Mary sings 'Here, There and Everywhere' and 'For No-one' on Norwegian Wood by R.A.M Pietsch.
October 13th
South Bank Show special about Under Milk Wood
November 11th
Mary attends Linda McCartney photo exhibition in London.
December 5th
'Ave Maria' released on TRAX Records
December 12th
Spirit released on TRAX Records. Re-released in 2011 on Mary Hopkin Music.
December 12th
Interview with Gloria Hunniford on BBC Radio.
February 12th
Mary appears in 'No More Wars', "Rock for Romania" in Lewisham.
May 22nd
'No More War' by "Freedom Found" released.
May 26th
'No More War' video shown on ITV.
October 12th
Appears in Charity Concert to Save The Regal Cinema at the Kenton Theatre in Henley as part of a supergroup. The "Thames Valley Gang" included Joe and Vicki Brown, Mick Ralphs, Jon Lord, Ian Paice and Barrie Barlow. It was Mary's idea to have the two drummers playing mirror image kits.
June 17th
Mary appears at the London Palladium as guest of The Chieftains.
Back to Bach by Julian Colbeck released. Mary wrote lyrics for 'Old Faces at Heaven's Gate' ft. Brian Keenan. Stream on Amazon
The Bridge by Dave Cousins and Brian Willoughby released on The Road Goes On Forever. Mary sings backing vocals on several songs.
March 19th
Mary attends Ralph McTell's 25th anniversary concert at the Royal Festival Hall London.
December 12th
Mary plays "Rosie Probert" at a Prince's Trust charity performance in Air Studios, London of Under Milk Wood, in front of Prince Charles.
Feb 7th
Mary goes into the studio with Roger Cook to cut some new songs she has written with him.
April 14th
Mary gives "rare" interview to the US Goldmine magazine to promote the Apple re-release of Postcard on CD. The interview is here (subscription required).
Y Canaeuon Cynnar released on Sain Records. Available from their website
April 16th
BBC Wales screen TV Documentary in the Kane's Classics series about Mary.
August 28th
HTV Wales screen TV Documentary in the It's My Life series about Mary.
May
Mary is asked to join the The Chieftains' Tears of Stone World tour for the British leg....
May 25th - Colston Hall, Bristol
May 26th - Royal Albert Hall, London
August 30th
Mary appears with Benny Gallagher, Jim Diamond and Christian Marsac at the Barrfields Theatre in Largs, Scotland.
April 17th
The Crocketts release The Great Brain Robbery featuring Mary on 'Chicken vs Macho'. 'The Host' was released as a single with a guest vocal from Mary. Available from Amazon
May 1st
S4C Wales screen TV Documentary Mary Hopkin
Very Annie Mary, a film directed by Sara Sugarman, is released. Mary appears as a chapel woman with the line, "The scratch and sniff bibles have arrived".
Mary sings 'Wales' by Ralph McTell as the title track for Billy Connolly's World Tour of England, Ireland and Wales. She also sings 'Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn' during episode 7.
Robin Williams records 'The Grim Rapper', based on 'Those Were The Days', with Mary on guest vocals. The song was released on his Live 2002 DVD.
Mary Hopkin Music is founded by Jessica. Live at the Royal Festival Hall 1972 is the debut release. Available here
'Snowed Under' by Mary is released digitally. Later included on Christmas Songs EP.
Valentine is released. This is the first of the albums drawn from Mary's unreleased archives. Available here
Recollections is released. The second archive album. Available here
December
Christmas Songs EP is released. Available here
May
Now And Then, the third archive album, released. Available here
June
Blodeugerdd: Song of the Flowers - An Anthology of Welsh Music and Song released by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. Mary contributes acapela version of 'Aderyn Pur'.
Jessica Lee Morgan releases I Am Not on Space Records, including a duet with and co-written by Mary, 'Here It All Comes Again'. Mary also sings backing vocals on 'Just A Song'. Available here
Mary and her son Morgan Visconti release You Look Familiar on Mary Hopkin Music. Mary blogs about the album here.
Mary releases Painting by Numbers, a collection of her own songs. Available here
April 28th
Mary Hopkin Music releases digital versions of 'Those Were The Days' and 'Goodbye', recorded in 1977. Read why here.
December
'Iesu Faban' released digitally. This is a traditional Welsh hymn, sung by Mary, Morgan and Jessica. Available here
October 27th
Mary contributes 'Aderyn Pur' from the Festival Hall album to The Ultimate Guide to Welsh Music compiled by Cerys Matthews. Available here
August 31st
Mary releases a new version of 'Those Were The Days', recorded with her daughter Jessica and son Morgan, to commemorate 50 years since its release. Read all about it and buy it here.
August 31st
Mary releases a brand new album called Another Road. Available here.
December 1st
Releases A Christmas Chorale, a collection of hymns in Welsh and English, some sung with Jessica, Morgan and Christian Thomas. Available here.
May 20th
Live at the Royal Festival Hall 1972 is restored by Morgan and remastered for re-release, marking the date of the original concert. Available here.
February 1st
Pieces is released. Mary wrote and performed all the songs herself. Available here.
May 3rd
Mary and Jessica release a joint album, Two Hearts. They co-wrote all the songs except for three favourite covers. Available here.
Thanks to Pat Richmond who compiled most of this diary, originally for her website.