Subway Standards

          During the weekdays, 30-year-old Zach Pethoud is an ordinary New Yorker with a 9-to-5 job as a receptionist at a wealth management company. But when the weekends arrive, Pethoud transforms into a jazzy, soulful singer, serenading commuters with classic American songs on the busy platform of the Times Square-42^nd Street subway station.  

“I love the standards music of the 30s and the 40s,” said the singer. “I think that type of music needs to come back.”

Pethoud is new to the underground world of subway performers. He sang in the subway for the first time in July 2009 because he simply wanted to save up money for a vacation in Moscow in October.

           He’s not doing badly at all. Last Saturday alone, he made $86. His goal is to earn $1,000 by the time of his trip.

For Pethoud, though, it’s not all about the money.

           â€œThere’s always the monetary aspect, but for the two minutes that people are down there, if they had a bad day and I can make them feel good, then that’s all I really care about,” he said. He described a moment recently when an old couple danced as he sang. “The little things like that are really cool.”

One man wearing an olive green fedora hat came up to him and raised his hand up in the air, gently bobbing his head as Pethoud dove into the powerful chorus of “My Way,” by Frank Sinatra.The man then reached into his pocket and dropped a quarter into the red and black book bag lying at the singer’s feet.

“Sing it, white man, sing it,”the man said as he walked back to the edge of the platform.

Originally from Davenport,Iowa, Pethoud grew up loving musical theater and performing in shows. In 1999,he graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in Manhattan. He resettled in Iowa briefly, but returned to the Big Apple to find a steady job and raise a family, instead of pursuing a musical career.

“I miss singing all the time,”said Pethoud. “It’s my passion, but at the same time, it’s a hard life.”

The subway was the perfect opportunity for Pethoud not only to make money for his trip, but to return to the stage he loved .

           â€œI called my mom the first day I started during lunch and she was like, ‘I’m so happy you’re singing again!’” laughed Pethoud. “There was a part of me that was nervous, but it’s interesting because I really didn’t feel any pressure. In a few minutes, the people watching will be gone anyway.”

           The experience does have its difficulties.

           In a subway system infamous for its muggy heat during the summer, Pethoud still wears a black suit to perform. “The suit kind of fits the whole Rat Pack Sinatra thing,” the performer remarked. In between songs, he uses a damp towel to wipe away his sweat.

           But for Pethoud, it’s all worth it.

           â€œI have thought about continuing this, absolutely,” said the singer.

With his hands in his pockets and his face slightly red, Pethoud swayed lightly as he sang Frank Sinatraâ€Â