Chicago pastor and music teacher to the stars, Rev. Dr. Lena McLin, dies at 95
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chaka Khan, Jennifer Hudson, Mandy Patinkin; all are native Chicagoans, but they have something else in common. They and many others were students of Rev. Dr. Lena McLin, an extraordinary composer and music educator.
The beloved pastor, composer, and music teacher has died at the age of 95.
McLin had enormous pride in all the students she helped guide to musical excellence; from stars like Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson to younger singers just starting out.
"I'm just happy to see them out there, and I'm happy to see them going on, and I thank God for allowing me to be some help in directing them," she told CBS 2's Harry Porterfield in 2013 in his "Someone You Should Know" profile.
McLin taught music for well over a half century, many of those years at Kenwood Academy High School, where she built a powerhouse music program. After she retired from the classroom, she continued to teach in her home.
"She just allows me to basically flourish as a singer. Without her and her technique, I don't think my voice would be as developed as it is now," one of her students, R.J. Johnson, said in 2013.
McLin was also a minister, and the niece of Thomas Dorsey, known as "The Father of Gospel Music." Her spiritual foundation infused her teaching and her approach to countless students.
"I'm just a strong believer in right, and a strong believer in love, and a strong believer in discipline, and a strong believer in understanding. I think that comes together for a wonderful balance, because everybody I see, I see good in them," she told Porterfield.
McLin's students have excelled in a variety of musical genres; from the blues and R&B, to jazz and classical music.
"Everything I know about singing, I learned from her," said legendary blues singer Deitra Farr.
CBS 2's Jim Williams was a student at Kenwood when McLin was there, and although he wasn't a musician, he said she took an interest in him simply because he was a student, and she was always generous with her advice and encouragement.