Lena Martell, the Scottish singer who made chart history with 'One Day at a Time', dies at 86

Lena Martell, the Scottish vocalist and television presenter who became the first solo female singer from Scotland to reach the summit of the UK singles chart, has died at the age of 86. She passed away at a care home following a short illness, according to reports.

Martell secured her place in British music history in 1979 with her rendition of "One Day at a Time", a song penned by Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson. The recording, which she released as a cover, claimed the top spot on the UK singles chart and held it there for three consecutive weeks during October of that year.

The scale of the single's success was remarkable. It went on to sell close to three million copies, and its extended stay on the chart — a total of 36 weeks — earned Martell an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. The achievement underscored her broad popular appeal at a time when the British music landscape was rapidly diversifying.

Born Helen Thomson in Glasgow, Martell's path to stardom began far from the recording studio. As a young girl, she sang with her elder brother's band, an early exposure to performance that would shape her future. She later joined the Jimmie McGregor Band, performing as a vocalist at the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow, a venue famed for launching and hosting some of Scotland's biggest musical talents.

Her teenage years brought further opportunities. She appeared on a 1950s ITV programme called Find the Singer, a talent showcase of the era, and by the age of 16 she had signed her first recording contract. That early break set in motion a career that would span several decades and cross international borders.

Martell's ambitions took her overseas, where she eventually left the UK to work on Broadway. There, she served as an understudy to Barbra Streisand in the production Funny Girl, an experience that placed her in the orbit of one of the entertainment industry's most celebrated figures. She also performed on cruise ships and in cabarets and concert halls, spending extensive periods in the United States.

Her American engagements brought her into contact with some of the biggest names in show business. She performed in New York and Las Vegas alongside Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and Barbra Streisand, cementing her reputation as a versatile live performer capable of holding her own among international stars.

During the 1970s, Martell became a familiar face in British living rooms when she hosted her own BBC prime-time television show. The series ran for approximately a decade, with Martell singing and chatting to big-name guests in front of audiences that regularly exceeded 12 million viewers each week. That level of viewership reflected the era's appetite for light entertainment and Martell's natural warmth as a host.

Her recording output was equally prolific. Between 1974 and 1980, she placed six albums in the UK albums chart, four of which reached the top 20. Her early studio albums were released under the Pye record label, a significant imprint in the British music industry at the time.

Martell's chart-topping single also appeared on the iconic music programme Top of the Pops in 1979, with a photograph from the performance showing her singing into a microphone, dressed in a white shirt, blue wool tank top and glasses — an image that captures the era's distinctive style and her unassuming stage presence.

Tributes have begun to emerge from fellow performers and fans alike. Scottish singer Barbara Dickson expressed sadness at the news of Martell's death, describing her voice as having a "lovely melodious quality". Dickson also recalled that her late father had admired Martell's quiet talent, a personal recollection that speaks to the affection in which the singer was held across generations.

Beyond her professional achievements, Martell faced a series of health problems throughout her life. She was diagnosed with cancer and later underwent a triple heart bypass, a surgical procedure that uses a blood vessel from another part of the body to create a new route for blood to reach the heart muscle. After her recovery, she demonstrated considerable resilience by returning to the stage.

She continued to perform at the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow, a venue with a long association with popular entertainment in the city. Her willingness to resume live performance after serious illness reflected a enduring commitment to her craft and her audience.

Martell's legacy is multifaceted. She broke ground as the first solo Scottish female singer to top the UK singles chart, a milestone that paved the way for others. Her success came not through a brief viral moment but through sustained work across recording, television and live performance, including a stint on Broadway.

Her death marks the loss of a figure who bridged the worlds of Scottish variety entertainment, American show business and British pop chart history. Fans have taken to social media to share memories of listening to "One Day at a Time", a song that became a lasting part of the country's musical fabric. Martell is remembered as a quiet but determined talent whose voice reached millions and whose chart record remains a landmark achievement.