Lena Martell

Lena Martell (born Helen Thomson; 15 May 1940) is a Scottish singer, with a long career in theatre, television and musicals. She has recorded thirty albums which include the number-one UK single with "One Day at a Time" in 1979. She placed six albums in the UK Albums Chart between 1974 and 1980, including four that reached the top 20.

In the 1970 and 1980s her Saturday Night TV shows for BBC Television ran over a period of ten years, with evening audiences of over 12 million. Moving to the US she sang in New York and Las Vegas with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and others and toured the world performing in concert halls. She has starred in musicals in Broadway, first when deputising for Barbra Streisand, and headlining in London`s West End theatres. Her successes at London Palladium equalled the box office of Shirley MacLaine and Bette Midler.

Although out of the limelight for a period while nursing her sick mother, Martell returned to the music industry. She has released a few albums on the ScotDisc label. Her double album One Day at a Time: An Anthology of Song was released on Castle Records in 2003.

Health Martell has had surgery to replace a valve in her heart, and in March 2008 underwent a triple heart bypass operation.

Discography Albums Studio albums Year Title Details Peak chart positions CertificationsUK 1982Songs of Life Released: 1982 Label: Ronco —Songs of Love Released: July 1982 Label: Ronco —1984Today Released: 1984 Label: Country House —1985The Love Album Released: 1985 Label: Hallmark Marble Arch —1991Sometimes When I'm Dreaming Released: 13 January 1992 Label: Scotdisc —2005Songs from a Woman's Heart Released: 2005 Label: Scotdisc —2006Stand by Me Released: 2006 Label: Scotdisc —2007The Rose Released: 2007 Label: Scotdisc — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Compilation albums Year Title Details Peak chart positions CertificationsUK 1978The Lena Martell Collection Released: August 1978 Label: Ronco 12 BPI: Silver 197912 FM Golden Greats Released: 1979 Label: Pye —1980By Request Released: 1980 Label: Ronco 9 BPI: Gold Let the Music Play Released: 1980 Label: One-Up —Spotlight on Lena Martell Released: 1980 Label: PRT —Lena Martell Released: September 1980 Label: Pickwick Super Stars —Beautiful Sunday Released: November 1980 Label: Ronco 23 BPI: Gold 1981Feelings Released: March 1981 Label: Hallmark —Something Simple Released: 1981 Label: Decca —The Best of Lena Martell Released: 1981 Label: Reader's Digest —1994Feelings – The Best of Lena Martell Released: 1994 Label: True Trax —1996The Best of Lena Martell – One Day at a Time Released: 1996 Label: Pulse —2004My Homeland Released: 2004 Label: Scotdisc —2008One Day at a Time: The Ultimate Collection Released: January 2008 Label: Sanctuary — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Singles YearSinglePeak chart positionsCertificationsIRE UK 1961"Love Can Be" — —1962"The Reason Why" — —1963"Let the Music Play" — —"I Wish You Well" — —1964"I'm a Fool to Want You" — —1967"The Pop Group Song" — —"Somewhere My Love" — —1968"In Time" — —"Come September" — —1969"It's Another World" — —1970"Love Made a Fool of Me" — —"For the Love of Him" — —1971"I'm Going Home" — —"Somewhere My Love" (re-release) — —1972"It's Too Late Now" — —1973"While We're Still Young" — —"Four and Twenty Hours" — —"A Scottish Trilogy" — —1974"Billy" — —"Hasta Manana" — —1975"After All Is Said and Done" — —1976"Call Collect" — —"Christmas Every Other Year (Six Weeks Every Summer)" — —1977"Times Were" — —"One Day at a Time" — —1978"Somewhere in My Lifetime" — —1979"One Day at a Time" (re-release) 27 1 BPI: Gold 1980"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" — —"Why Me (Why Me, Lord?)" — —1981"Pray with Me" — —1984"You're My Hero (The Wind Beneath My Wings)" — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.