Apple Records was started by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr in 1968 as a home for the collective Beatles recordings. Additionally, other artists found homes on the label as well. It held a diverse and well-rounded roster of artists from different musical backgrounds. Through the label, there were opportunities for people making music who might not have been heard otherwise.
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The same year of Apple Records’ inception, The Beatles signed their first artist. British supermodel Twiggy was instrumental in discovering their first signing. She convinced her friend McCartney to give a Welsh singer named Mary Hopkin a chance.
In July 1968, Twiggy catches 18-year-old Hopkin performing on the BBC talent search series Opportunity Knocks. She sang the song “Turn! Turn! Turn!” by The Byrds, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar. Her voice is crystalline and bright, delivering the lyrics with heart. It’s no wonder Twiggy was so captivated by her performance; Mary Hopkin demonstrated her skills expertly.
Supermodel Twiggy Convinced Paul McCartney to Sign Mary Hopkin to The Beatles’ Record Label
Twiggy was close friends with Paul McCartney in the 60s, and was even slated to star in a movie produced by The Beatles’ Apple Films. While that never came to fruition, she still remained friends with Paul and Linda McCartney.
After seeing Mary Hopkin on Opportunity Knocks—which she won—Twiggy contacted McCartney. She convinced him to sign Hopkin to Apple Records, which he did, and she became one of the first artists on the label.
Hopkin’s debut single was “Those Were the Days” which went to no. 1 on the U.K. Singles chart even with competition from Sandie Shaw’s version of the song that same year. In the U.S., it peaked at no. 2, kept from the top by The Beatles’ own “Hey Jude”.
In 1969, Hopkin released the single “Goodbye”, written by McCartney. Allegedly, she felt as if McCartney had been micromanaging her career thus far, and saw “Goodbye” as his promise to stop meddling.
Eventually, Hopkin left Apple Records in 1972 after a series of disappointing singles. Her final single for the label was “Water, Paper And Clay”, but it never charted. With her album Earth Song/Ocean Song, Hopkin felt that she had contributed what she wanted to the music scene. She married producer Tony Visconti and quietly left the music industry behind.
Featured Image by Stan Meagher/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Image
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