Scottish singer and television star Lena Martell, whose recording of One Day at a Time spent three weeks at number one in the UK and became her calling card, has died aged 86 after a short illness.
The Glasgow-born entertainer enjoyed a career spanning more than five decades, becoming one of Scotland’s most recognisable singers during the heyday of television variety and easy-listening music.
Born Helen Thomson in Glasgow on 15 May 1940, Martell was born in Possilpark and grew up in Hamiltonhill. She began singing while still a child, performing with her elder brother’s band from the age of 11.
Martell later became a vocalist with the Jimmie McGregor Band at the Barrowland Ballroom, beginning a career which would take her from Scottish dance halls to television studios and stages around the world.
Martell developed her reputation through cabaret and live performance during the 1960s before becoming a familiar face to television audiences.
Her BBC One series Presenting Lena Martell began in 1971, featuring Martell alongside the Scottish Radio Orchestra and a changing line-up of musical and comedy guests. The programme was broadcast across the BBC network and returned in 1973.
In December 1971, the Radio Industries Club of Scotland named her its Television Personality of 1970–71. She signed with Pye Records and built up an extensive catalogue of standards, ballads, country-influenced songs and popular favourites.
Albums including That Wonderful Sound of Lena Martell, The Best of Lena Martell and The Lena Martell Collection established her as a substantial record seller during the 1970s.
Martell recorded One Day at a Time in 1979, the country-gospel song written by Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson, and turned it into one of the most unexpected British chart successes of the year.
The single entered the UK chart in September and climbed steadily before reaching number one on 27 October. It remained there for three consecutive weeks and spent 18 weeks in the chart in total.
For generations of listeners, the song would remain inseparable from her.
Its success also propelled Lena’s Music Album to number four in the UK albums chart. The following year By Request reached number nine, while Beautiful Sunday reached number 23.
Across her career Martell achieved six UK Top 40 albums, including two which reached the Top 10.
Her appeal extended well beyond Scotland. She toured internationally, including performances in the United States, Canada, Australia and South Africa, and appeared alongside some of the biggest entertainers of the era.
Later recordings increasingly embraced Scottish material, and she continued to perform after the peak of her chart career. Her album My Homeland returned her to the Scottish album chart in 2004, reaching number 42 and spending ten weeks on the chart.
She also recorded with other much-loved figures from Scotland’s traditional entertainment scene and remained particularly popular with audiences who had first encountered her on television in the 1970s.
Martell faced serious health problems in later life. She underwent heart surgery and in 2008 had a triple heart bypass, but subsequently returned to performing.