“One Day at a Time” is a popular Country and Western-style Christian song written by Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson. It has been recorded by over 200 artists and has reached No.1 in several territories. “One Day at a Time” became best known among country fans when recorded by American country gospel singer Cristy Lane. The song was released in the late winter of 1980, and by the end of the spring, the song was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. “One Day at a Time” was Lane’s only No. 1 hit. (More from Wikipedia)
Kris Kristofferson also co-wrote another major gospel hit song in the 1970’s, “One Day at a Time” (also the motto of Alcoholics Anonymous and other similar organizations). He co-wrote the song with a Nashville songwriting legend, Marijohn Wilkin. With Danny Dill, Wilkin co-wrote “The Long Black Veil” for Lefty Frizzell – this standard is such a cultural touchstone that it was even mentioned in an opinion by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1979. Other songs that Marijohn Wilkin wrote or co-wrote include “Waterloo”, a #1 hit for Stonewall Jackson; “Cut Across Shorty”, which was recorded by Eddie Cochran, Rod Stewart, Faces, and Freddie and the Dreamers; and “I Just Don’t Understand” that was covered by Ann-Margret and the Beatles.
“One Day at a Time” reached the Country Top 20 in the version by Marilyn Sellars in 1974 and also made #37 on the Billboard Hot 100. “One Day at a Time” was given a Dove Award by the Gospel Music Association in 1975. Her success with writing “One Day at a Time” gave Marijohn Wilkin a gospel music career, and she released several albums on Word Records.
At the urging of her husband Lee Stoller, Cristy Lane made several attempts to launch a music career from the late 1960’s through the end of the 1970’s, with only minimal success. After releasing her third album in 1979, Simple Little Words, United Artists Records balked at Cristy Lane’s plans to release a remake of “One Day at a Time”, even though Lena Martell had a No. 1 hit in Great Britain with her version of “One Day at a Time” in 1979. Instead, Liberty Records released the song and the accompanying album, Ask Me to Dance. “One Day at a Time” hit #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles, and the song became the cornerstone of a television and Internet marketing juggernaut for Cristy Lane’s music.
(July 2014)
