Gunter Hotel Hosts Grandson of Robert Johnson for 90th Anniversary

Steven Johnson will record a new album in Room 414 of the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio next month. The grandson of blues legend Robert Johnson plans to cut the sessions in the exact room where his grandfather recorded material in November 1936. This work marks the 90th anniversary of the original sessions.

The recording project forms the core of a three-day celebration scheduled for November 12 to 14. The event honors the 1936 sessions, which produced tracks that later inspired artists including Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin. The Robert Johnson Blues Foundation will release the new album once the sessions are complete.

A Saturday showcase in the Crystal Ballroom will cap the weekend. Pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph, who recently won his first Grammy for Preacher Kids, will perform alongside Texas blues-rock guitarist Ally Venable and the Steve L. Johnson Band. Marco Cervantes, a University of Texas at San Antonio professor who performs as Mexstep, will serve as emcee. Tickets for the event start at $59.

Programming extends beyond the main stage with daily activities throughout the hotel. On November 12, producer Michael Ramos will lead tours of the Gunter Studio from 5 to 7 p.m. The Robert Johnson Revue featuring Nicky Diamonds will perform in the Studio Lounge from 7 to 9 p.m., while the Aaron Stephens Trio plays Bar 414 from 9 p.m. to midnight.

On November 13, a conversation with the Robert Johnson Family will take place in the Gunter Studio Lounge from 6 to 7 p.m., moderated by Hector Saldaña. Tomar & The FCs and Jordan Matthew Young will perform in the Crystal Ballroom from 8 to 10 p.m. Nick Brown & The Blues Cruise will follow at Bar 414 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

The Saturday lineup concludes with the ballroom showcase from 7 to 10:15 p.m., followed by the Eve Monsees Trio at Bar 414 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. The Gunter Hotel reopened in 2025 after a $70 million renovation. Owner Jiwon Choi stated that the hotel is honored to bring talented people together to celebrate its history and the legacy of Robert Johnson. Every guest room now includes a turntable and a copy of King of the Delta Blues Singers.

The hotel has integrated its musical heritage into its current operations. It opened its recording studio to emerging artists and maintains a record lending library in the lobby. A music council also advises the property, with members including Adrian Quesada, co-founder of Black Pumas, and Will and Noel Bridges of Antone's Nightclub.