Jackie Trent (1930 – 9 May 2015) was an English singer, songwriter, and actress. She began her recording career in the mid‑1950s, achieving chart success in the United Kingdom with singles such as “I Love You” (1956) and “Where Are You?” (1958).
Trent is best known for her collaborative songwriting partnership with composer‑producer Tony Hatch. Together they wrote numerous pop hits, most notably “I Will Always Love You” for Tommy Steele and “The Loner,” recorded by the pseudonym “The Marty Scots.” Their work also included the theme song for the television series The Adventures of Robin Hood and the successful 1970s musical stage production The Naughty Girl (1975).
In addition to her music career, Trent appeared in several British films and television programmes during the 1960s, including a recurring role in the comedy series The Tommy Steele Show, in which she also performed musical numbers.
Trent married fellow entertainer Tommy Steele in 1971; the couple remained together until her death. She continued to write and perform sporadically into the 1990s, and her contributions to British pop music are recognized for blending traditional melodic songwriting with contemporary pop sensibilities.
Jackie Trent died on 9 May 2015 in London, aged 84. Her legacy includes a catalog of songs that remain representative of the mid‑20th‑century British pop repertoire.
