The last surviving member of the inaugural DCI Hall of Fame Class of 1985, Hugh Mahon, passed away Wednesday morning at the age of 80.
Mahon served as an integral part of the founding of Drum Corps International in the early 1970s. As director of the Garfield Cadets between 1969 and 1972, he spearheaded the formation of the United Organization of Junior Corps (UOJC), which sought to unite eastern corps and foster their growth organizationally, competitively and financially. Working with the likes of Don Warren and Jim Jones, founders of the similarly-started Midwest Combine, the two organizations combined to form what is now Drum Corps International.
“DCI owes more to Hugh than I think most people understand,” said longtime friend Paul Litteau who is a 1999 inductee into the DCI Hall of Fame. “He was the prime mover behind the UOJC in 1969, which was formed prior to the inception of the Midwest Combine. In some ways the Combine was a response to what was happening back east. As a result, the two groups were able to come together and ultimately become DCI. So in that respect, drum corps and DCI have a debt to Hugh that I think largely has been forgotten.”
Litteau says that Mahon found his success with a highly personable but straightforward no-nonsense demeanor, remembering his interactions with others as truly “authentic.”
“There was absolutely no pretension there so you knew where he was coming from,” Litteau said. “Hugh was consistent, and he was extremely loyal—loyal to The Cadets, loyal to his friends, and especially loyal to his family.”
Mahon got his start in the drum corps activity as a member of the Patterson Cadets of New Jersey in the 1950s. From 1960-1962 he served as drum major of the Garfield Cadets. According to a feature in the “Drum Corps World” publication, “Hugh was known for his showmanship, including the use of a conductor’s baton which he ceremoniously broke and tossed to the waiting crowd at the end of each performance.”
He later parlayed that experience as drum major for the Caballeros of Hawthorne, New Jersey, before transitioning into the role of instructor for several smaller East Coast corps. In 1968 Mahon returned to The Cadets as a drill instructor where he is notably credited for playing a part in bringing women into the color guard section of the all-male corps for the very first time.
“There were no standing ovations for it, believe me,” Mahon said in a 2019 interview about the change in the makeup of the corps. “These guys were my friends, I marched with them. They said, ‘Hughie, we never thought you would do that.’ And I understood it. And then eventually like all things, the next thing you know guys are dating girls in the color guard, a couple of years later people are getting married, and boy what a great idea that was,” Mahon said with a sarcastic chuckle.
Despite that initial resistance with The Cadets, Mahon became a beloved figure in the long and storied history of the corps.
“Hughie is probably one of the most admired Cadets alumni,” said John Hannigan, a close friend of Mahon’s who was drum major of the corps from 1977-79. “He was extremely witty, very personable, everybody knew and loved him. He was like the Godfather of the drum corps.”
Hannigan particularly remembers Mahon’s presence in and around the annual DCI World Championships. “He was one of those people who had an extremely magnetic personality,” Hannigan recalled. “The Cadets always had a reunion event at the DCI Finals. Hugh would always be there, and when he walked in, it would be like the seas would part. He had that sort of aura amongst the Cadets’ alumni, a truly honored person.”
Mahon was the developer and co-owner of The Lock Box, a storage facility in Danville, Kentucky. He is also a former member of the Danville Planning and Zoning Committee. In his pursuits outside of the drum corps activity, however, he never lost touch with his roots and continued to follow DCI competitions to the present day.
Mahon was invited to speak as part of The Cavaliers’ celebration of the life of corps founder Don Warren in 2019 and also attended the DCI World Championships in Indianapolis later that summer.
“Having Hugh at the Championships was always an honor,” said DCI CEO Dan Acheson. “Sadly he is one of our last in a bygone era of drum corps. Hugh was always open with his opinions about the business side of the activity, but also gave high praise that the corps today are always pushing the activity forward to better serve the performers."
Acheson remembers Mahon fondly for his wry sense of humor, keying in on a memory of something he muttered just after his address at The Cavaliers’ event in honor of Don Warren.
“Hugh quipped that this would be the last time he would have to speak at an occasion like this, because the next time the gathering would be to honor him. Although we now sadly face that reality, we can take comfort in knowing that Hugh’s lifelong passion contributed not only to the creation of Drum Corps International, but has served to inspire and create a lasting, positive impact on countless people throughout its history.”
Mahon is survived by his wife Adria, three daughters and a number of grandchildren. Condolences can be sent to the Mahon family at P.O. Box 756, Danville, KY 40423. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Heritage Hospice.