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Topic spans: 1949 - 2000
Going Underground: Toronto's Subway and Montreal's Metro
They could zoom through underground tunnels at high speeds, transporting passengers to their destinations comfortably and efficiently. Canada's two new subways were considered marvellous feats of modern engineering in the 1950s and '60s. As the decades passed, Toronto's subway and Montreal's metro became more than just technological marvels — they were also places for people to meet, musicians to perform and artists to display their work.
Photo of Montreal Metro by Denis Jacquerye, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 license
8 television clips
9 radio clips
Toronto's Subway Elvis
Broadcast Date: July 10, 1970
His real name may be Michael McTaggart, but to Toronto subway riders, he's simply "Subway Elvis." Originally from Tennessee, this guy really "digs rock and roll" and loves to pay tribute to Elvis Presley while in the subway stations of Toronto. Subway riders like to listen to him sing too — although TTC officials occasionally stop him for loitering, due to the restrictive rules regarding subway musicians in the 1970s.Toronto's Subway Elvis
• At the time of this 1970 interview, TTC by-laws forbade musicians from playing in the subways. By 1980, however, subway officials realized that riders liked hearing live music in the stations, so they implemented the Subway Musicians' Program. This highly regulated program requires musicians to audition for the chance to perform in subway stations. The 74 top-scoring acts are licensed to play in the subway system for a year. In 2004, the licence fee was $150.• Between 150 and 200 people typically show up to audition for the TTC Subway Musicians' Program. Each audition lasts approximately seven minutes. The acts are judged on stage presence, musical/performance talent and entertainment value.
• Auditions can be very competitive, since subway musicians can feasibly make a relatively good living. Typical income is hard to determine, however, since many subway musicians don't like to talk about money — some are afraid such discussions could curb passenger generosity.
• In the Montreal metro there are no permits or auditions required for subway musicians. They simply show up in the wee hours of the morning and sign up for designated spots at various stations on a first-come, first-served basis. The metro musicians regulate themselves in their own self-policing group: the Association des musiciens indépendents du métro de Montréal, formed in 1983.
• In 1986, Subway Elvis (a.k.a. Michael McTaggart) was arrested at Toronto's Kennedy subway station for allegedly taking part in seven cases of armed robbery. He was convicted of participating in two of the robberies in 1988. After spending 20 months in prison, Subway Elvis was proven innocent and was exonerated of all charges. He later filed a lawsuit against the police for his wrongful conviction, and received a settlement of $380,000 in 2001.
Toronto's Subway Elvis
Medium: Radio
Program: Radio Free Friday
Broadcast Date: July 10, 1970
Guest(s): Michael McTaggart
Duration: 1:39
Last updated:
May 20, 2008
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17 clips in this topic . page
Radio
5:07
Sept. 19, 1955
Modernization of Winnipeg's transit system means the end of the streetcar and a new era of trolley cars and diesel buses.
Radio
4:03
Oct. 31, 1965
CN Railways pulls out all the stops with its new express train.
Toronto's Subway Elvis.
The CBC Digital Archives Website.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Last updated: May 20, 2008.
[Page consulted on Feb. 13, 2012.]