He performed at "open mic" events in the area and, through his contacts with promoters, was hired as an opening act for artists like Mose Allison and B.B. King.
Mose Allison | Allison Miller | William B. Allison | Allison V-1710 | Allison Engine Company | Jennifer Allison | Jay Allison | Darren Allison | Bernard Allison | Allison Transmission | Wilmer Allison | Tropical Storm Allison | May Allison | Malcolm Allison | Allison Wolfe | Allison Moorer | Allison Jones | Allison | Rick Allison | Mose | Glenn Allison | George Allison | Dale Allison | Chris Allison | Brooke Allison | Ben Allison | Allison Whitlock | Allison Rosati | Allison Pottinger | Allison Munn |
Many famous musicians played at the AQ, including Roy Haynes, Mose Allison, Joey DeFrancesco, Sweets Edison, Lew Tabackin, Eric Alexander, Jack McDuff, Dewey Redman, Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, Wallace Roney, and others.
He did extensive work as a sideman in the 1950s, with Jon Eardley (1955–56), Jimmy Raney (1955–57), Eddie Costa (1956), Friedrich Gulda (1956), George Wallington (1956–57), Al Cohn (1956–57, 1960), Zoot Sims (1957), Gil Evans (1957), Mose Allison (1957–58), Carmen McRae (1958), and Don Elliott (1958).
"Seventh Son", first recorded by Mabon in 1955, has since been covered by a number of artists including Johnny Rivers, Georgie Fame, John Mellencamp, Billy "Crash" Craddock, Mose Allison, Sting, Climax Blues Band, and Long John Baldry.