{{Infobox musical artist | name = Chris Fortier | image = Chris Fortier.jpg | birth_name = Chris Fortier | alias = Fade<br />40oz | origin = Melbourne, Florida | instrument = | genre = House | occupation = Disc jockey<br />Record producer | years_active = 1990–present | label = Fade Records<br />EQ (Grey) | associated_acts = Fade, 40oz | website = {{URL|http://www.djchrisfortier.com/}} }}
'''Chris Fortier''' is an American DJ and founder of the Balance Record Pool as well as co-founder and owner of Fade Records. Fortier's DJing covers a range of styles from dark progressive to minimalist techno. He is well known for being a central figure in the development of electronic dance music in the United States as both a DJ and founder of the Balance Record Pool.<ref name="tranz-market">{{cite web |url=http://www.tranzfusion.com/articles/shownews.asp?newsid=582 |title=Chris Fortier: America's Dance Market Is Huge and Growing |accessdate=2007-06-21 |date=2001-10-19 |last=Adderley |first=Jonty |author2=Angie Ng |work=Tranzfusion |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717091330/http://www.tranzfusion.com/articles/shownews.asp?newsid=582 |archivedate=2011-07-17 }}</ref>
Chris Fortier grew up in Melbourne, Florida, moving to Orlando, Florida to attend the University of Central Florida.<ref name="lacitybeat-fresh">{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=2136&IssueNum=103 |last=Romero |first=Dennis |work=Los Angeles CityBeat |accessdate=2007-06-20 |title=Fresh Construction |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929083353/http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=2136&IssueNum=103 |archivedate=2007-09-29 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> Until he discovered house music, Fortier's primary hobby was surfing.<ref name="tranz-surf">{{cite web |url=http://www.tranzfusion.com/articles/shownews.asp?newsid=4253 |title=Chris Fortier's Beach Boy Blues |date=2004-07-18 |last=Skrufff |first=Jonty |accessdate=2007-06-21 |work=Tranzfusion |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717091754/http://www.tranzfusion.com/articles/shownews.asp?newsid=4253 |archivedate=2011-07-17 }}</ref> He began DJing in 1990 in Orlando where he was influenced by other Florida DJs such as Kimball Collins and Dave Cannalte.<ref name="amg-bio">{{cite web|work=Allmusic |accessdate=2007-06-20 |url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p296824|pure_url=yes}} |first = Linda |last = Seida |title = Chris Fortier > Biography}}</ref> After performing with DJ Icey, Kimball Collins set Fortier up as resident DJ at the Aahz nightclub.<ref name="jive-much">{{cite web|url=http://www.jivemagazine.com/article.php?pid=3535 |title=Chris Fortier: Much More Than "Progressive" |date=2005-07-26|work=JIVE Magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814112904/http://www.jivemagazine.com/article.php?pid=3535|archive-date=August 14, 2007|access-date=2016-08-16|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1993, Fortier was introduced to Neil Kolo, who had been producing music for 5 years.<ref name="365mag-interview">{{cite web |url=http://www.365mag.com/index.php?pg=spec&recnum=10&Title=365+Interview%3A+Chris+Fortier+on+365MAG+International+Music+Magazine |title=365 Interview: Chris Fortier |date=2001-04-01 |accessdate=2007-06-20 |last=Blum |first=Justin |work=365mag |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927225844/http://www.365mag.com/index.php?pg=spec&recnum=10&Title=365+Interview:+Chris+Fortier+on+365MAG+International+Music+Magazine }}</ref> They found they had chemistry and became the duo Fade, releasing "...For All the People" on their newly founded label Fade Records in 1994.<ref name="365mag-interview"/> In 1996, Fortier founded the Balance Record Pool, a record pool designed to help North American DJs to spread electronic music.<ref name="balancepool">{{cite web |url=http://www.balancerecordpool.com/ |publisher=Balance Record Pool |accessdate=2007-06-20 |title=Balance Record Pool |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050303010639/http://www.balancerecordpool.com/ |archive-date=2005-03-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Balance won the International Dance Music Awards for best record pool in 2005 and 2006.<ref name="idma20">{{cite web|url=http://www.wintermusicconference.com/events/idmas/idmawinners2005.htm |title=Winners for the 20th Annual International Dance Music Awards |accessdate=2007-06-20 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070524134035/http://www.wintermusicconference.com/events/idmas/idmawinners2005.htm |archivedate = 2007-05-24}}</ref><ref name="idma21">{{cite web| url=http://www.wintermusicconference.com/events/idmas/idmawinners2006.htm|title = 21st Annual International Dance Music Awards |accessdate=2007-06-20 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070530163218/http://www.wintermusicconference.com/events/idmas/idmawinners2006.htm |archivedate = 2007-05-30}}</ref> The Balance Record Pool and Jimmy Van M's DJ booking agency making up Balance Promote Group.<ref name="365mag-interview"/>
In 1998, when submitting a bootleg remix of Sarah McLachlan's song "Plenty" to her record label, Fortier was offered the chance to remix the Delerium song "Silence" featuring McLachlan.<ref name="tranz-bio">{{cite web |url=http://www.tranzfusion.com/profiles/showprofile.asp?id=432 |title=Chris Fortier Artist Profile |accessdate=2007-06-21 |work=Tranzfusion |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717091825/http://www.tranzfusion.com/profiles/showprofile.asp?id=432 |archivedate=2011-07-17 }}</ref> Their remix was released on Nettwerk and sold over one million copies.<ref name="jive-much"/> Fade Records began to expand to productions not exclusively by Fortier and Kolo, including helping launch the career of Steve Porter.<ref name="jive-much"/> Fortier helped Porter develop his production abilities and Porter helped introduce Fortier to the mixing software Pro Tools.<ref name="ps-int">{{cite web|work=Progressive-Sounds |url=http://www.progressive-sounds.com/Artists/Chris-Fortier/Chris-Fortier-interview-3-2002.asp |title=Chris Fortier Interview |date=March 2002 |accessdate=2007-06-21}}</ref> In 2000, Fortier began his residency at New York City club Twilo, playing alongside Dave Seaman.<ref name="tranz-bio"/>
After being in contact with EQ / Stomp regarding distribution of their records in the Balance Record Pool, Fortier was given the opportunity to mix the seventh entry in their ''Balance'' series.<ref name="jive-much"/> For ''Balance 007'', Fortier used Ableton Live to mesh songs together, similarly to Sasha.<ref name="lacitybeat-fresh"/>
==Discography== *1998: ''Atmospherics: The Breaks'' (StreetBeat Records) *1999: ''Trance America'' (Engine Recordings) *2002: ''Bedrock 3'' (Bedrock Records) *2004: ''Audio Tour'' (Fade Records) *2005: ''Balance 007'' (EQ / Stomp) *2007: ''As Long as the Moment Exists'' (EQ Recordings) *2007: ''The Album We Never Released That We Are Now Releasing'' as Fade (Fade Records)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.djchrisfortier.com/ Official Website] *{{Discogs artist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fortier, Chris}} Category:American club DJs Category:American remixers Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:University of Central Florida alumni