He was a long-standing session player for Atlantic Records, appearing on hits by artists including Big Joe Turner, Ruth Brown and The Clovers.

[3] Walls recalls developing his signature performing style of playing while "stand-up dancing" in Charleston's Holy Sanctified Church.

[13] While he is best known during these years for his Atlantic sessions, during the heyday of R&B Walls also appeared on songs released by other labels, including London, Grand, Apollo, Teen, Sound, MGM, Swan, Sue, Chime, Cherry, Smash, Courtesy, Capitol, Savoy, Memo, Derby, King, and Columbia.

In September 1959, he made his final recording appearance from this period, on the Memo label, backing Danny "Run Joe" Taylor, who was credited as Little Eddie Mint.

[10] In 1954, Walls joined the Nite Riders, a band based in Philadelphia (they would later move to Hartford, Connecticut, where they opened their own recording studio).

By the 1970s, he was reduced to touring small towns in Quebec, and playing taverns and small-time gigs at venues such as Royal Canadian Legion halls in Montreal.

[13] Walls began to re-emerge in the 1990s, starting with a concert on May 18, 1990, in Brooklyn Heights, New York, where he appeared with his former piano student, Mac Rebennack, aka Dr.

[13] Morris arranged for studio time, and over two days Walls and Montreal's Stephen Barry Band recorded his final CD: In the Evening.

[17] In 1997, Walls was also recognized with a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation, along with musicians including Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Four Tops, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, and Gary U.S.

After numerous delays, the film Vann "Piano Man" Walls: The Spirit of R&B was released in October 2013, premiering at the Festival du nouveau cinéma.

[20] Directed by Steven Morris, and produced by Morris and Martin Bolduc, the documentary features footage of Walls recording his final album, as well as various live performances, his appearance at the Rhythm & Blues Foundation awards gala, and interviews with Ahmet Ertegun, Jerry Wexler, Dr. John, Smokey Robinson, Ruth Brown, Ry Cooder, and others.

In addition, Canadian musician Michael Jerome Brown, who appeared on In the Evening, wrote the track "Cancer Ward Blues" for Walls, and dedicated it to him.