A naturally restrained musician, Wilson’s fleet playing and the elegant poise of his striding solos combined to make him an influential figure in the development of jazz piano. Although influenced by Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines, Wilson was a highly distinctive performer in his own right. He made history in the 1930s, when he joined Benny Goodman's big band, making him the first African-American to join a white band; his performances with Goodman provided a brilliantly intuitive counterpoint to the famed bandleader's playing. He made a succession of outstanding recordings with Benny Carter in the early-30s, and his work with Billie Holiday produced a number of jazz masterpieces. The earlier sessions, when Holiday’s talent was still unpolished, are object lessons in their deceptive simplicity.