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HANK HONOURED

Kamloops’ Small earns Canada’s Walk of Fame recognition two years after Prism’s induction

Jul 22, 2025 | 4:32 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops musician Henry Small has received retroactive recognition from Canada’s Walk of Fame (CWF).

When Vancouver rock band Prism took its place in CWF in 2023, former member Small was not among the inductees.

He said the snub may stem from the nature of his inclusion in the band after the 1980 departures of Ron Tabak (lead vocals) and John Hall (keyboards, vocals).

“The producer of the next Prism album was John Carter,” Small said. “He came to Vancouver. He said ‘I’m taking you and I’m taking you,’ which was Lindsay Mitchell (guitar, vocals) and myself. That didn’t go over well with the rest of the band. They felt they had been hoodwinked in all of this, but really I never made that decision. It was made for me and I think there were hard feelings. I know there were.”

CWF celebrated its 25th anniversary on Sept. 28, 2023, at Massey Hall in Toronto, inducting 13 Canadian 1970s and 1980s bands (including Prism) on Canada’s Rock of Fame night.

“I wasn’t invited to be there… and I was hurt by that,” Small said. “I never had hard feelings for anybody. Never. I did what I was asked to do by the record company and by the management, that’s all.”

About six months ago, Small was summoned to the post office to retrieve a package, which included a Certificate of Recognition from CWF with his name on it.

The certificate notes it is in celebration of Prism’s induction and Small’s long-standing dedication to Canadian music.

He was asked what happened to spur the delayed distinction.

“How does life happen?” he said. “I got a notice in the mail that there was a package and I went down and there it was, two years after the fact.”

Small revealed the certificate last week in a social media post after encouragement from friends.

“I really appreciate the acknowledgment after all these years, but did they have to wait until it was the Walker of Fame?” Small, 77, said with a laugh. “I’m sure glad to get it.”

Small’s tenure with Prism in the early 1980s included commercial success in the U.S. and Europe.

With vocalist Small in the fold, the band recorded Small Change in 1981, the album including standout singles Don’t Let Him Know and Rain.

Small is a former longtime CIFM radio personality and enjoyed a 25-year run with co-host Stan Bailly on The Stan and Hank Show.

He remains a key cog on the Music in the Park organizing committee, helping to co-ordinate the annual summer concert series held in Riverside Park.

“It’s always good to be acknowledged, but I’m just as proud of Music in the Park and the stuff that we’ve done with the community,” Small said. “I love this community and anything I can do to entertain it has been a blessing for me.”