Invited to perform at the White House for President John F. Kennedy, Escudero was counted among the best in his era; Ramón Montoya called him "the best flamenco guitarist of this new generation."
During the early part of his career, at the age of 15 (1944 - 1954), he began touring extensively with the best known flamenco companies throughout Spain and the rest of Europe (Rosario and Antonio, Vicente Escudero, Estrellita Castro, and Carmen Amaya), playing both as soloist and guitar accompanist.
[5] and provided the musical background to several films:[6][7] After completing his obligatory military service in Spain, he toured Central and South America with Carmen Amaya, and in early 1955, the United States with both Vicente Escudero and Jose Greco as soloist and guitar accompanist (from 1950 - 1956).
From 1961 onward, he settled in the United States to focus on what would become a very successful career as a flamenco concert guitarist.
During all of this period, he had a very active concert schedule, performing on a regular basis in the United States and internationally, including several concert tours to Russia (then the Soviet Union), Japan, Hong Kong and Turkey, all as a private citizen; that is, not backed or sponsored by State-financed organizations in any way.
When he was not performing, he very much enjoyed teaching flamenco guitar to his many students, writing down his own compositions, and furthering his knowledge of harmony and counterpoint, both on his own and studying with other teachers himself.
Lastly, he loved listening to and learning from all types of music, including jazz, "soft" rock, all types of folk music and, of course, classical composers like Albeniz, Falla, Granados, Wagner, Beethoven and Bach (the latter of which he always referred to as "el payo Bach", as he regularly listened to Simon Preston´s album of his complete organ works).
[27][28][29]) Escudero began to perform frequently with Carmen Amaya in early 1950, when he joined her to tour South America.
[11] In April 1953, he performed with Carmen Amaya again at the Teatro Quintero in Madrid, and was on tour with her again throughout Spain until September, 1951.
[34] In one of these performances at the Persian Room, Escudero tripped on someone´s foot, falling on top of his guitar, smashing it beyond repair.
[52][53] Upon special request, he also performed Rodrigo´s "Concierto de Aranjuez" on the 17th and the 18th of November, 1977, with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra under George Zack.
He was also fond of the ones he had made with ABC Paramount,[86][87][88] and of the last double album he recorded with the Musical Heritage Society in 1969.