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 1970s with the group Zinthetyzėr, 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 1990s 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 MCMARIO.COM and 2005's Sun Factory 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 co-owned the Montreal nightspot Club 1234. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide