He came to prominence as a member of drummer Art Blakey's band, The Jazz Messengers, before establishing a long career as a bandleader and composer.

Walton cited Nat King Cole, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk and Art Tatum as his major influences on piano.

Walton was tempted by the promise of New York City through his associations with John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Richie Powell, whom he met at after-hours sessions around Denver, Colorado.

He arranged and recorded for Etta James from the mid-1990s on, helping her win a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album for Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday (RCA Victor) in 1994.

[6] Many of Walton's compositions have become jazz standards, including "Firm Roots", "Bolivia" (perhaps his best known), "Holy Land", "Mode for Joe" and "Cedar's Blues".

In 1975, The Magic Triangle became the core of the Eastern Rebellion jazz collective, which featured (at different times) saxophonists George Coleman, Bob Berg and Ralph Moore, trombonist Curtis Fuller, and trumpeter Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros.

Sam Jones died in late 1981, and Walton and Higgins carried on with bassist David "Happy" Williams, who also joined them on the four final Eastern Rebellion recordings.

Walton and Higgins also appeared on recordings by Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Slide Hampton, Junior Cook, Bobby Hutcherson, Frank Morgan, and Jackie McLean (sometimes with other bassists in place of Williams).

[11] Posthumous releases As leader of Eastern Rebellion The Timeless All Stars With Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt With Art Blakey With Donald Byrd With Sonny Criss With Kenny Dorham With Art Farmer With Curtis Fuller With Benny Golson With Dexter Gordon With Steve Grossman With Eddie Harris With Jimmy Heath With Billy Higgins With Freddie Hubbard With Bobby Hutcherson With Milt Jackson With Etta James With The Jazztet (Art Farmer and Benny Golson) With J. J. Johnson With Philly Joe Jones With Sam Jones With Clifford Jordan With Kimiko Kasai With Charles McPherson With Blue Mitchell With Frank Morgan With Lee Morgan With David "Fathead" Newman With Houston Person With Sonny Red With Archie Shepp With Lucky Thompson With Stanley Turrentine With others