He was good friends with Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett and others who helped develop the American popular music canon.

Among the popular songs he wrote or co-wrote were "I'll Be Around" (a hit for the Mills Brothers), "While We're Young" (recorded by Peggy Lee and many others), "Blackberry Winter", "Where Do You Go?"

In addition to writing popular songs, Wilder also composed classical pieces for unique combinations of orchestral instruments.

[4] With lyricist Loonis McGlohon (his co-host on the radio series) he composed songs for the Land of Oz theme park in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

Pianist Marian McPartland told the story of this "alleged" comment to Tony Bennett, on her "Piano Jazz" radio show in 2004.

Wilder died in Gainesville, Florida, from lung cancer in December 1980,[1] and is buried in a Catholic cemetery in Avon, New York, outside Rochester.