Most of us go to the subway to get to our places of work, but for Toronto-born, New York-based musician Joe Taylor the subway is his office.

This lanky blonde-haired singer-songwriter has just made it through "Subway Idol," an annual competition that whittles down hundreds of applicants for 20 highly coveted spots on the Music Under New York (MUNY) roster.

The New York Times got wind of Taylor's aspirations and followed him to his MUNY audition. In the four-minute clip, Taylor hauls his guitar and amp into the cab and wanders the marble halls of Grand Central Terminal. The highlight of this winning audition is watching Taylor rock out before an enthusiastic crowd.

Rocking out in Toronto

Taylor first tested his pipes in Toronto, singing and writing for the rock band James Band. His big break came after music big shots Paul Shubot and Alfie Di Pucchio heard him play a gig in Toronto. They recorded his unique sound that very night, launching his career as a solo artist.

Since moving down to NYC in 2001, Taylor released a demo through Red Road Music and now performs all over the US, bringing his retro-pop-rock tunes to audiences in Chicago, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Boston, Houston, and Philadelphia.

Taylor is thrilled to be added to the MUNY roster, noting that he now holds a lifetime permit to play his folk rock tunes in the subway system. "There's something really similar about Toronto and New York," he says of the vibe in his hometown and his adopted city. "Maybe that's why I love both of them."

A Grand Central Audition

Where previous MUNY artists wowed the judges with novel acts -- barbershop quartets, baroque harps, Brazilian folkloric violin, even the musical saw -- Taylor arrived at Grand Central terminal with nothing more than his six string and an amp.

"Everybody's got a spiel or a schtick," he says from his home in New York, "but I just do my thing. I don't do anything any better than anyone else out there, but I think [what makes my music appealing] is its honesty."

With a voice like Canada's own Sam Roberts, Taylor fired up the Grand Central crowd, getting them clapping in time with his catchy pop tune, "All Around the World."

"I have to say, with the 500-or-600 foot ceilings, you got damn good acoustics," he laughs.

Taylor's favourite acoustic location is in front of the shuttle that runs from Grand Central to Times Square. "It's like playing in a big shower," he says. "The sound bounces off the walls with that brilliant echo-y sound."

But when he's amp'd up, Taylor declares Penn station the hands-down best venue to get a crowd worked up.

Playing underground isn't all stunning acoustics and fabulous crowds. Taylor still has to battle the roar of incoming trains, the din of passengers and the clamour of outside traffic.

He also notes that in the middle of the summer, there'll be a lot of sweat, both his and that of his commuter audiences. "And the funky smells from the New York City subway system," he adds as yet another summertime challenge.

Coins and smiles

When he's looking for an equal ratio of coins and smiles, Taylor plays his folk rock tunes on weeknights just after rush hour. Though, the very best time to play, reveals Taylor, is Saturday and Sunday afternoons, "That's definitely when you get the most smiles."

Weekends also provide a large cross section of the public -- kids, elderly folk, teenagers, hipsters, business folk. After having played so many gigs in bars and clubs across the States, Taylor says it's a treat to be able to connect with a larger demographic.

On weekends or weekdays, Taylor is honoured to offer an escape for New York commuters. "If I can crack a smile outta somebody, even for a few seconds, and remove anxiety from [someone's] daily life, then I've done my job."

"All Around the World"

So what does Taylor do to get people to stop and listen? "I just do my thing," he says, adding that playing underground is a great place to try out new material.

"I can test out where my songs are at by people's reactions. They have no reason in the world to stop and listen to what I'm doing, but if they do, I know something's working."

The one song that always gets the crowd going is "All Around the World," the same song he crooned under the domed ceiling at Grand Central Terminal. "Sometimes lyrics can really catch someone right at the right time," he says.

Whether he's above or below ground, Taylor stays true to his own lyrics: "What you give is what you get," he both says and sings. "The more you put yourself out there, the more you receive."

Listen to Joe's music on his MySpace page

Watch his 'Subway Idol' audition at The New York Times online