Lena Martell, the Scottish singer and television presenter, has passed away at 86. She was best known for her 1979 UK No 1 hit, 'One Day at a Time'.
The song, co-written by Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson, remained at the top of the charts for three weeks, making Martell the first solo female singer from Scotland to achieve a singles chart No 1. It sold 2.5 million copies globally.
Martell's career spanned from Scottish dance halls to cabaret in London, and stages in Las Vegas and Australia. She performed alongside Sammy Davis Jr and hosted her own BBC television programmes, including 'Presenting Lena Martell' and 'Music with Martell'. Her shows sometimes drew audiences exceeding 12 million viewers.
Despite being a one-hit wonder on the singles chart, Martell released half a dozen Top 40 albums between 1974 and 1980. She continued to perform into her 70s, despite periods of ill health.