On Thursday, Feb. 13, Jerome Foster Lewis will take center stage at The Suffolk to debut his self-styled, one-man show, Unforgettable Valentine: A Celebration of Nat King Cole’s Love Songs. To those who know him best, his journey to this moment has been just as remarkable as his voice.
Straight out of college, Mr. Lewis enrolled at Manhattan’s American Musical Dramatic Academy, with dreams of starring on Broadway.
“I did a lot of regional theater, traveled around,” he said, including touring Europe during six seasons with the Glory Gospel Singers and working on Disney productions in Hong Kong and on Disney cruise lines.
“I’ve been very fortunate to see a lot of the world.”
After years on the road, Mr. Lewis, who lives in Medford, said he suffered some setbacks and decided to move back to Long Island and “sort of reset and readjust.” He had a license to work as a security guard and took a job at Peconic Bay Medical Center.
Tara Anglim, PBMC’s associate executive director for culture and experience, said in an interview this week that she and her colleagues sensed something special in Mr. Lewis.
“He’s one of those hidden gems,” she said. “I kept hearing from patients, families, and staff about how special he was, how kind he was, and how he always went out of his way for people.”
She noted how impressed she has been with Mr. Lewis’ listening skills.
“He will take something as small as sitting down and listening to someone, and that patient will open up and share things with him that they haven’t shared with anyone,” Ms. Anglim said. “He’ll find those little nuggets, things that are in his power to do to make them feel seen and heard and valued.”
Recognizing his gift, hospital leadership urged Mr. Lewis to apply for a patient experience specialist role, which he secured following a panel interview. But even after landing the job he was initially unsure of what he had to offer in his new role.
“He quickly saw how he could change someone who was so sad or in pain or just despondent and not really feeling hopeful about anything,” Ms. Anglim said. “And so it just energized him.”
He was encouraged to start a healing-through-music program at the hospital.
“We love nothing more than when Jerome does a one-on-one singing performance for a patient.” Ms. Anglim said. “We all knew what a great singer he was, because even as a security officer, sometimes he would just sing a song for someone that was really having a hard day.”
Mr. Lewis has built musical connections throughout the PBMC universe.
Peter Sultan, one of the hospital’s top orthopedic surgeons, is also a skilled pianist.
“We have a piano in the lobby of the hospital, and one of the things [Dr. Sultan] does is between surgeries, as a stress reliever for himself, he will come down and play the piano,” Ms. Anglim said.
“He and Jerome connected from that, and they have become such good friends — so they play together all the time, sometimes for our patients, sometimes at community fundraisers or employee events.
They’re kind of our go-to duo.”
Outside of PBMC, Mr. Lewis was also a familiar face at The Suffolk in Riverhead — where he works as a weekend security guard.
“Everybody loves Jerome,” said Gary Hygom, The Suffolk’s executive director. “He’s a gentle giant, and we just adore him. But I had no idea he was a performer.”
That changed at a Christmas party in 2023 when, to the surprise of many, Mr. Lewis took the mic.
“I got up there and sang a soulful version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town, dressed as Santa Claus,” Mr. Lewis said with a laugh. “Everyone was like, ‘Wait, what’s happening?’”
He approached Mr. Hygom a few months ago with an idea for a show dedicated to Nat King Cole.
“Of course, my answer was ‘yes,’” Mr. Hygom said. “He’s family. It wasn’t about money—it was about supporting someone we care about. And now? He’s outselling some of our main-stage shows.”
For Mr. Lewis, Nat King Cole has long been an inspiration.
“He was a pioneer, a class act—his voice, his style, his musicality,” he said. “He represented elegance and excellence.”
In preparation for the Feb. 13 show, Mr. Lewis and his four-piece band have meticulously rehearsed 20 of Cole’s timeless songs, including L-O-V-E, Unforgettable and Stardust.
One song holds special meaning for him.
“Smile is one of my go-to songs for patients in difficult times,” the singer said. “You can’t sing Smile and not smile. I’ve always incorporated Nat King Cole into my performances, but this is my first full-length tribute to him. It’s going to be an incredible experience.”
He said that his act is a tribute, not an impersonation.
“It’s not me trying to be Nat King Cole on stage. That’s why I call it a celebration of Nat King Cole’s love songs,” Mr. Lewis said. “I want to interpret his music with my own soulful flair, but also honor his artistry. He was an expert storyteller and his musicality allowed people to feel the love through his music, through his voice. To have this opportunity to honor someone who I’ve always looked up to … I’m so excited.”
So are his PBMC colleagues.
“Our whole team has tickets,” Ms. Anglim said. “We’re all going to be there, and we can’t wait to cheer him on. It’s going to be a wonderful show. He’s an incredible performer, but he’s an even more exceptional human being.”