Friday, Oct. 4, 2002 | 9:55 a.m.
Jerry Fink's lounge column appears on Fridays. Reach him at [email protected] at (702) 259-4058.
Cancer slowed down Larry G. Jones' career.
The singing impressionist, who performs at Fitzgeralds Events Center, was on the fast track to success when he discovered a lump under his arm almost five years ago.
"I didn't think anything about it at first," said Jones, who was living in Los Angeles at the time. "It was just in my way. I was as healthy as could be, so I just put off getting it checked."
But the lump continued to grow, and Jones went to the doctor.
"They stuck a needle in it and drew out a sample," the 36-year-old Jones recalled. "Ten minutes later the doctor came out and said I had cancer. A week later I went into surgery."
The cancer was discovered in 1998.
"I had melanoma, which appeared in my lymph nodes," Jones said. "They cut out all of the lymph nodes under my left arm."
Jones was never sick, except for the nine months of chemotherapy that left him weak.
"The chemo was just a preventative measure, in case I had cancer somewhere else and they missed it," Jones said.
He's been cancer-free for almost five years, and says the ordeal has made him a stronger believer in God.
"There's nothing like a death threat to make you look to God and to re-evaluate your life -- where you've been, what you're doing and what you're going to do," Jones said.
Jones had been planning to eventually move to Las Vegas to pursue his career in singing and comedy impressions.
"Different obstacles would get in the way," he said.
But when Jones overcame cancer, the biggest obstacle, he decided it was time to make his move.
"The Lord's blessed me," said Jones, whose wife, Lisa, is a minister with a half-hour gospel radio program on KKVV 1060-AM at 11:30 a.m. Fridays.
He has appeared at the Plaza and the New Frontier in addition to Fitzgeralds, where he shares performance slots in the renovated showroom (formerly a lounge) with Elvis impersonator Craig Newell and magician Arian Black.
Admission to the showroom is one drink.
Jones didn't realize he was a talented singer until he almost had completed work on degree in mechanical engineering at Auburn University in Alabama.
"My roommate was a drummer," Jones, a native of Opelika, Ala., recalled. "One day he was jamming with some buddies and I came along and started singing. One of the guys said, 'Hey, why not sing in my band?' I said, 'OK,' and a month later I started singing in a classic rock band in and around Auburn."
Jones continued studying to be an engineer while performing with the band.
"They waited until I graduated, and then, in 1990, we moved to Hollywood," Jones said. "We played at rock clubs on Sunset Strip and had some bites from record labels, but it's hard to keep a band together. Musicians are flaky."
An earthquake in 1994 sent most of the band members home.
"I stayed," Jones said. "I got a voice scholarship to the Southern California Conservatory of Music. While studying, I pursued studio work."
One day he saw an ad in a magazine for actors. A company was seeking impersonators.
"When I was singing, people would always tell me I sounded like the person whose song I was performing," Jones said. "When I saw the ad, I said, 'I can do that.' "
He sent them a tape of himself singing songs by Elton John and Michael Crawford.
"They called me up and asked me to do Hootie and the Blowfish," Jones said. "I did it and they asked if I could do other people."
He could. It was a natural talent. Jones rarely had to practice to do a voice.
"It was just something I could do," he said. "But Frank Sinatra was tough for me. So was Patti La Belle."
Jones' repertoire has grown. He does more than 100 singing voices and more than 50 speaking voices.
Comparisons between Jones and Danny Gans are inevitable, since both do some of the same characters, such as Nat King Cole and his daughter, Natalie, and Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias.
But that shouldn't bother Jones.
After all, in Las Vegas impressionism is the sincerest form of flattery.
Lounging around
Fair Play, a group that performs a tribute to the Four Tops and and other Motown groups, takes the 11:30 p.m. time slot starting Tuesday at Le Bistro at Riviera.
British vocalist/guitarist Alister will perform at 10 p.m. Wednesday at the Crown and Anchor, East Tropicana Avenue and Maryland Parkway. Alister is the latest export from Liverpool, from where many musicians have launched their careers -- including The Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers.
The cast of The Rio's hit dinner theater production "Tony and Tina's Wedding" wind down after Friday-night performances at Nora's Cuisine on West Flamingo Road. It's an after-hours party with an open mike. Singers (including restaurant manager Giovanni Mauro) are backed by the Joe Darro Trio.
The Top of the World Lounge at Stratosphere is featuring international singing artists Santino Virga and Grace Abarca. The duo sing standards in five languages. They perform from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Sing for your supper Wednesday night's at Romy's (8555 W. Sahara Ave.). Wednesday jam host/vocalist Alan Broze says anyone who gets up to sing will have their name placed in a hat for a drawing for a free dinner.
The Down Syndrome Organization of Southern Nevada will hold its annual Buddy Walk fund-raiser on Oct. 26, part of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Keyboardist Dennis Mellen, whose daughter has the syndrome, is helping the effort. Anyone interested in sponsoring the event or making a pledge for one of the walkers should contact Mellen at 313-5171 or e-mail him at [email protected]. Mellen performs Tuesdays through Thursdays at Kitchen Cafe.
The cast of "Rock This Town Live" (tribute to early rock stars Buddy Holly and others at Riviera's Le Bistro Theatre) performed live Monday night at Tuscany's Piazza Lounge. The show was broadcast by Melanie Scott's Market Edge Radio, KLAV 1230-AM. On Oct. 21 Stephen Sorrentino, late of Le Bistro, is scheduled to make an appearance on the program.
Jazz pianist/vocalist April Spain, a staple at Fellini's, performed at Bootleggers Bistro on Monday night. Gus Mancuso is turning the Monday night jazz sessions into a popular venue for jazz fans and artists.
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