Debbie Fortnum
Debbie Fortnum is a Canadian Christian artist with a passion for music and a heart for worship and missions. Born in Regina, Saskatchewan into a Christian home, Debbie accepted Christ into her life at the young age of five. Two weeks later, Debbie sat down at the church piano and simply began playing it, even though she had never had a single piano lesson in her life - her talent was God-given and music stirred in her heart. Within a year, at the tender age of six, Debbie had already written her first song.
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At the age of 7 Debbie and her family moved to Veneta, OR and it was shortly thereafter that Debbie was struck with a debilitating disease that began to erode her eyesight. It was during this painful time that God prepared her for worship ministry – she read and memorized Scripture and hymns. As a result, she began to write her own worship songs. But her health and her eyesight continued to deteriorate until, at the age of 10, she was declared legally blind. And then a miracle happened - at the age of 12, while worshiping God well into the night, Debbie experienced a miraculous healing – her health and her vision were instantly and perfectly restored! (Her testimony of this miraculous healing has been published in Jill Briscoe’s International magazine for Ministry Wives, Just Between Us and The Alliance Life, USA).
Upon receiving this miraculous healing, Debbie began expressing her musical gifts in a worship context, and felt God’s call upon her life to full-time ministry, becoming the full-time pianist at the Veneta Alliance Church at age 13. Debbie continued to perform and minister in music throughout her teen years.
Soon after graduating from Canadian Bible College with a Diploma in Christian Ministries, Debbie married Rev. Scott Fortnum, with whom she began working alongside in the areas of worship and discipleship.
Debbie’s worship ministry began to gain wide attention in BC and quickly grew in size and scope, which eventually, through Dr. Ravi Zacharias, brought her in touch with Dick & Melodie Tunney (internationally acclaimed producer and songwriters for Steve Green, Larnelle Harris, Sandy Patti, The Imperials and many others). With Dick Tunney as producer, Debbie recorded her first album Oasis of Thirst featuring all original songs. Oasis of Thirst received great acclaim, reviews and media attention and brought Debbie’s music to a much wider public.
In the Fall of 2004 Debbie recorded her second CD To Love and to Be Loved with producer Chris Janz, and released it in 2005. The CD showcases Debbie’s strong, sensitive vocals and songwriting talent. Through her music Debbie has been involved in various missionary and relief efforts, including the Tsunami Relief effort (her To Love and to Be Loved CD release concert was a benefit concert for that tragedy) and AIDS orphans in Uganda, Africa (to whom she has personally ministered) and most recently (Fall of 2005) to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast, where she gave free concerts and thousands of dollars worth of CD's to those who had lost everything, during her "Tour of Healing Hope".
Debbie is an artist whose work is beginning to make an international mark - The title track on "To Love and to Be Loved" HIT the #1 spot on Europe's TOP 20 Inspirational Radio Charts in February 2006! She has also appeared on international TV, as well as the national Canadian television show 100 Huntley Street; her songs are being sung in churches and radio stations around the world; she has shared the stage with renowned Integrity Artist/Worship Leader Brian Doerksen; three of Debbie’s songs join Canadian Christian artists Lianna Klassen and Steve Bell on The Gospel Music Foundation’s Windows of Hope CD; she also shares space on other USA compilation CD’s with Steve Camp and Don Francisco; her original songs have been recorded by international artists Bobby Michaels (Musicianaries International) and DuSharme Lanusa (Miss Oklahoma) and she has been involved in performance and leadership in numerous national and international conferences and events.
Debbie Fortnum is an artist with a passionate faith and a vibrant vision of music and ministry. She continues to perform across Canada and the US and her latest CD To Love and to Be Loved will be available at Blessings stores across Canada in October 2005.
~Written by Pheonix Five's Nick Peros
