Their classic line-up consisted of lead singer Ron Tabak, guitarist Lindsay Mitchell, keyboardist John Hall, bassist Allen Harlow and drummer Rocket Norton.

Prism's success has been primarily in Canada where they won the Canadian music industry Juno Award for 'Group of the Year' in 1981, although they also reached the US top 40 charts with 1981's "Don't Let Him Know".

Prism is also noteworthy for launching the careers of several former group members, including international record producer Bruce Fairbairn, songwriter Jim Vallance, Powder Blues Band frontman Tom Lavin and Headpins and Chilliwack musician Ab Bryant.

[1] Prism was the brainchild of musician-producer Bruce Fairbairn, and comprised members from two local Vancouver bands, Sunshyne and Seeds of Time.

The Seeds of Time were a blues-oriented group that had recently wound down after a mildly successful recording career, in which they placed two songs in the Canadian Top 100 (RPM Magazine): "My Home Town" reached No.

As Prism's principal songwriter, Vallance was afraid that if the album failed and his real name was associated with it, he would never land another recording contract.

Lavin switched back to bass in Bryant's absence and Sunshyne's trombonist, Ralph Eppel, joined alongside adjunct members Bruce Fairbairn and Tom Keenlyside in Prism's horn section for their ensuing tour (with Vallance still drumming as "Rodney Higgs").

After the first leg of touring ended in late August 1977, Vallance resigned as drummer, but remained as principal songwriter.

[3] Lavin was let go in December 1977 and went on to form the Powder Blues Band, who in the next few years hit the Canadian charts with several singles and albums.

Various reasons cited were his drug and alcohol abuse, conflicts with other band members, several run-ins with the law and/or lack of songwriting ability.

In the meantime, keyboardist John Hall, unhappy with Tabak's firing, left Prism as well and the new four-piece line-up (Small/Mitchell/Harlow/Norton) recorded the album Small Change in the summer of 1981, which was released that December.

In 1981 Small, Mitchell, Harlow and Norton were joined for touring by keyboardists Jamie Bowers (also rhythm guitar) and David Stone (ex-Rainbow).

During another Christmas show at the Danforth Music Hall on December 14, 1981, the group was playing with fellow Canadian rockers Klaatu.

When Klaatu received a better response and most of the audience left before Prism had finished their set, the band realized that their new line-up was not being embraced by fans, so Mitchell, Harlow, Norton, Bowers and Stone, who were also chafing over Bruce Allen and Capital designating Henry Small in charge of musical direction and rehearsals in Los Angeles, decided to leave Prism by early 1982.

Although the band had essentially broken up by the end of 1982, Small decided to continue recording as a solo artist but using the Prism name and assembled a group of session musicians, including Alan Pasqua, Richie Zito, Mike Baird and backup vocalists Timothy B. Schmit (Eagles), Bobby Kimball (Toto) and Bill Champlin (Chicago) to assist him.

In a 2006 interview, Small explained why: "Bruce Allen had a falling out with the president of EMI at the time, over Tom Cochrane, and suddenly the Beat Street album, which at that point had been charting all over the east coast of the US, was basically pulled by Capitol Records.

Subsequently, Harlow, Mitchell and Deutsch recruited former member Rocket Norton on drums and new keyboardist Andy Lorimer.

Guest musicians on the album included Bryan Adams, Paul Janz and Marc LaFrance, with Rick Springfield and Randy Bachman (Bachman–Turner Overdrive) contributing to the songwriting.

In 1990 China White singer Rick Shermack, of Edmonton, had done a short tour substituting for Darcy Deutsch as lead vocalist with Prism, which he called not only an honour, but actually rather easy.

But after Cody's departure in 1996 and a brief return in 1997 by Norton, Darrell Mayes (from the Colin James Band) took over the drum chair before turning it over to Frank Baker circa 2000.

Steve Soucy then assumed the keyboard chair from 2002 to 2003, when Alfie Galpin took over for a year, followed by Johnny Ferreira (another Colin James player) in 2004.

The band continued to tour in 2005 with a new line-up of Harlow, drummer Gary Grace (who had joined in 2003), Steve-O (keyboards, guitars, backing vocals) and bassist Michael Kaye (who was soon replaced by Tad Goddard).

[15] On August 19, 2016, the band was flying to a show in Ottawa when drummer Gary Grace began experiencing increasing chest and leg pains.

After this, former Prism drummer Frank Baker (currently with fellow Canadian rockers Sweeney Todd) did the honors at the group's Deerfoot Calgary show on August 27.

One month and five days following the Ottawa incident, Grace returned to the concert stage at Edmonton's Century Casino Showroom playing to a sold-out crowd.

On May 22, 2015, a "Local Legends of Rock" concert, featuring Ab Bryant, John Hall, Al Harlow and Rocket Norton, was held in Lynn Valley, North Vancouver.

The concert included the Prism songs "Young and Restless", "Nickels and Dimes", "Take Me to the Kaptin", "You're Like the Wind" and "Spaceship Superstar."

Allen Harlow, John Hall, Lindsay Mitchell and Rocket Norton were present for the induction ceremony and they also included a framed picture of Ron Tabak.

Other acts, such as Headpins, Chilliwack, Lee Aaron, Trooper, Powder Blues Band, H.U.N.N., Doug and the Slugs and Loverboy, also performed.

Prism helped launch the careers of Bruce Fairbairn as an international record producer and Jim Vallance as a music industry wide songwriter.