A Celebration of Life for James “Linzy Kay” Studt will be held at Touché, 6412 N. Clark St. Sunday, Dec. 7. From 2-4 p.m. friends and family members will gather to remember the remarkable life of Linzy Kay.
Born July 19, 1945, James/Linzy grew up in Elgin before enlisting in the U.S. Navy at 17. James trained at the Great Lakes Naval Station and then was stationed in Hawaii.
Soon after his discharge from the Navy, James began his career performing as Linzy Kay at gay nightclubs across the U.S. from Boston to San Francisco including a long stint at the Jewel Box Lounge in Kansas City. Being a female impersonator in the ’60s and early ’70s was no easy task, this being a time of gay bar raids and arrests just for cross dressing being the norm. But Linzy, as his friends came to call him, dared to be himself and became a favored entertainer at the many venues where he performed.
While he was a skilled costume maker, designing and making his show costumes, Linzy also called upon his sewing skills working at an awning company in the 1970s and then as a leather tailor at Male Hide Leathers in the 1980s.
For the past 12 years, Linzy had worked the coat check counter at Touché and was quick with the one-liners and jokes he gathered from his years on the stage. He would occasionally get “dressed up” for special events such as the Rodeo Riders’ Christmas in July parties as Mrs. Claus.
Not to be out-done by Cher, Linzy Kay did come out of retirement to present a farewell Valentine show “Tough Love” in 2005, then again in 2006 and once more in 2007. These shows showcased not only Linzy’s lip singing but also her physical comedy and storytelling talents.
Linzy passed away from a heart attack Aug. 30, 2014 doing what he loved best, regaling friends with his jokes over drinks. His friends are welcome to gather with Linzy’s family for one more and a few laughs Dec. 7.