PAUL LEO
2026 AD Legacy Award Winner

Nominated by Paul Milano
It is important to honor the depth of the contributions of Paul Leo to the Cavaliers organization, as well as the breadth and length of his commitment over the past 59 years.

He joined as a rare 12-year-old rookie in the post-founding area of the corps, in the middle of a string of championship years that would make his youth seem like an insurmountable obstacle for membership at the time. But his talent, as well as his stoic demeanor and work ethic, shone through and earned the faith of DCI Hall of Fame and Adolph DeGrauwe Legacy Award winner, drum instructor Larry McCormick. While initially a mentor to Paul, the ensuing decades have created a lifelong friendship as peers to this day.

No Cavalier, ever, has marched nine years in the drumline – except Paul Leo. Four years as a double tenor drummer and five years as a snare drummer, the final three as drum sergeant for several excellent high-ranking drum lines. He won four national championships and six national drum championships. Very few Cavaliers have matched these achievements.

But for all his on-the-field accomplishments, his off-the-field contributions are more impressive. During his marching years, he was a strong recruiter of new members. He was instrumental in convincing many members to stay with the corps during the difficult DCI transition years of the early 1970s. He oversaw countless additional rehearsals for drummers for several years and gave individual lessons to several members as well. And he assisted teaching drummers in the Cavaliers Cadet corps. And this was before he then became a highly valued member of the drum instructional staff for many years.

When his new career and young family took priority for a number of years, he maintained his ties to the Cavaliers by hosting reunions for alumni time and time again. Soon enough, however, he was once again fully involved helping the corps launch the Classic Cavaliers alumni parade and standstill corps, filling the role of drum leader again. He held this position for seven years of constant support, instruction, fundraising, and performing. He also served on the Cavaliers Alumni Association Board of Directors working hard to reinvigorate vintage alumni who had lost interest in modern drum corps.

He was in the 16-man snare line for the 60 th anniversary alumni corps, CAC888, in 2008, hosting many members at his home for rehearsals providing housing and meals for dozens that year. He was instrumental in securing and restoring over 20 vintage drums for the performances, devoting many hours and many dollars to see our history preserved. He was also a team member of the very successful major fundraising campaign for the 60 the anniversary.

Paul has continued to be involved in many ways without interruption. He still hosts reunions on a monthly basis for more than a decade. He purchases, restores, and preserves historic Cavaliers drum artifacts for safekeeping. He traveled to Plymouth, Massachusetts to perform with the Classic Cavaliers. He performed in the 2023 drum line for the 75 th anniversary CAPE performance. And he provides ongoing historical presentations for each year of new Cavalier percussionists. Finally, he has been a generous financial donor to the corps and has successfully recruited others to do the same. And his wife, Carolyn, has been at his side contributing all of the above as well with her contributions of hosting, donations, and reunion coordination.

Paul Leo made history marching nine years as a drummer. Then he spent the next 50 years keeping our history alive through teaching, leading, reunions, donations, and historical preservation he passes down to each new generations. It seems only fitting that this combined quality and variety of depth, breadth, and length of commitment and contribution should be rewarded with the ultimate statement of gratitude – The Adolph DeGrauwe Legacy Award.