Wilder studied at the Mastbaum School of Music in Philadelphia, but turned to jazz when he felt that there was little future for an African-American classical musician.

From 1957 to 1974, Wilder did studio work for ABC-TV, New York City, and in the pit orchestras for Broadway musicals, while building his reputation as a soloist with his albums for Savoy (1956) and Columbia (1959).

He was also a regular sideman with such musicians as NEA Jazz Masters Hank Jones, Gil Evans, and Benny Goodman.

He became a favorite with vocalists and played for Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Johnny Mathis, Harry Belafonte, Eileen Farrell, Tony Bennett, and many others.

[7] With Trigger Alpert With Count Basie With Louis Bellson and Gene Krupa With Ruth Brown With Ralph Burns and Leonard Feather With Benny Carter With Al Cohn With Tadd Dameron With Gil Evans With Dizzy Gillespie With Jimmy Giuffre With Urbie Green With Johnny Hartman With Johnny Hodges With J. J. Johnson With Etta Jones With Hank Jones With Quincy Jones With Yusef Lateef With John Lewis With Mundell Lowe With Herbie Mann With Les McCann With Oliver Nelson With David Newman With Houston Person With Oscar Pettiford With A. K. Salim With Shirley Scott With Rex Stewart and Cootie Williams With Sonny Stitt With Ernie Wilkins With Anita O'Day With Donna Hightower With others