Mabern's recording career as a leader began in 1968, after he signed for Prestige Records early that year. His first album, "A Few Miles from Memphis", featured several of his own originals. Further dates for Prestige were released, and Mabern recorded approximately 20 albums as leader, for many labels. Mabern worked intermittently over a period of four decades with George Coleman, beginning in the 1960s, and including an appearance at the 1976 Newport Jazz Festival. From the early 1970s, he worked with trumpeters Clark Terry and Joe Newman, played jazz-pop electric piano with George Benson and Stanley Turrentine, was part of drummer Walter Bolden's trio (1973–74), and led his own trio with Bolden and bassist Jamil Nasser.