MC Mario

Canada's premier DJ, Montreal-based MC Mario launched to mainstream fame via his myriad remix compilations and long-running syndicated radio programs. Born Mario Tremblay, he first surfaced during the late '70s with the group Zinthetyzër, scoring hits including 1982's "Green Onion" and 1984's "Money-Money." Around the same time he also issued his first DJ mixes, among them Downtown No. 1 and Hot Plate No. 6. By the early '90s Tremblay worked under the alias MC Mario Mastermind, signing to the Quality Music label for a series of compilations including 1993's Back to Basics and 1995's King Size. After a brief stint with Polytel, in 1997 he signed to Sony, and as MC Mario generated a series of best-sellers like 1999's '99 in the Sun, 2001's MC Mario.com, and 2005's Sun Factory, Vol. 6. In 2003, MC Mario earned a Juno Award nomination for "All That I Like" — he also crossed over into mainstream radio with his weekly series The Mixdown and The Party Mix, and was named a member of the Canadian Dance Hall of Fame. Via Sony-BMG Music, MC Mario founded his own label, Tycoon Records, and he co-owns the Montreal nightspot Club 1234.