It's Good to Be Tom By Chuck Rounds   Tom Jones is a legend and an icon in the entertainment world.  His popularity has spanned nearly four decades and doesn't seem to be waning.  As long as Jones is popular so too will his top impersonator... Harmik.  Harmik has become synonymous with Tom Jones.  He is internationally recognized and praised as the #1 Jones look and sound alike in the world.    Over the years, Harmik has established himself as a staple at corporate events, private functions, and full stage solo concert performances.    Establishing himself, though, has been a road fraught with hard work and determination.  When Harmik first started in the late 70's, there was very little money in the market for a Tom Jones impersonator.  Harmik always felt that himself as Jones was a strong enough personality to stand alone, and therefore never wanted to be part of a multi-cast impersonation show, and because of the lack of money and bookings, he decided to leave the business in the early 80's.  From there, Harmik decided that it was time to forgo this foolish dream, take care of his family, and find a sensible job.  Having studied economics in college, he became an equities trader, did what he was "supposed" to do, and was miserable.    It was through the support and encouragement of his wife, Sherri, that finally got him back in the business in the early nineties.  "He was not happy as a trader, and he loves entertaining.  I figured, since you only go around once in life, we needed to take the risk for our happiness.  I always believed in him."    Picking up and starting again was neither easy nor pretty, but it was made easier with the support of his wife and family.  "It was a do or die situation," says Harmik.  "I had to work hard and really study "Tom."  I took voice lessons, dance lessons, studied films, the look... but cutting his long hair was the tough thing."  And he learned the songs of Tom- especially prompted by the experience of the first job that he did as Tom, where he only knew one and a half songs.  The crowd loved him, and he ended up singing each of the songs three times.    He started working small parties, events, and did a lot of weddings.  Agents started to take notice of him, and he started to get into corporate events.  His success in these venues made him a staple in the corporate market, and as he continued to push for more and more work in order to establish himself, Harmik was working 400-500 small events a year.    Through a fluke, a favor to a friend, and a flurry of flawed circumstances; Harmik begrudgingly did a concert show in the Pacific Northwest.  "It turned out to be the best thing for me.  It opened up a whole new world of possibilities," says Harmik.  "I was, and am, happy with the corporate gigs, but doing a solo concert with an orchestra to a crowd that came to see me... there was nothing like it."    Hard work and time have paid off though, with bigger and better jobs, the work schedule is not as hectic as it once was... with well over a hundred corporate events and privates functions a year, he is now also on the road doing about a hundred concerts a year.     The pride he takes in his work, and the support he gets from his family, will always be there for him.  His sons, Paul and Andrew, stand behind him.  He has known his wife, Sherri, since childhood, and they have been married for 26 years.    Harmik loves what he does and would be happy just to continue doing it, but the hopes and the vision doesn't stop.  He would love to have the opportunity to have his own showroom in town.  He would like to record other people's songs, as Tom, which Tom never did.  He continues to hope that opportunities come about that he hasn't thought of yet.    We, the folks of Vegas, don't get to see Harmik perform that often- simply because he doesn't get to do many public shows in town.  Therefore, it is a rare opportunity that is coming for us.  On February 17th, he will do two shows at the new showroom at the Santa Fe Casino, at 7 and 8:30.  He will also do two shows at the Fiesta on Rancho, on February 19th at 7 and 8:30, in Club Tequila.  The shows at the Santa Fe will have an orchestra.    The job of impersonators is tough.  Usually, the crowds that attend impersonation shows are cynical and look for what is inaccurate, rather than appreciating what is right with the performer.  It is often the job of the impersonator to be better than the original in order to be accepted.  With that being said, Harmik has achieved more than most other impersonators have ever hoped.  Harmik hopes that his work will help inspire others to be the best that they can and hopes that his efforts have helped raise the expectations and the bar of impersonators.    Check out his website at: www.tomjonesclone.com.