Robert Johnson Grandson to Record New Album in Gunter Hotel Room 414
Steven Johnson will cut tracks in the same room where his grandfather recorded in 1936, as the San Antonio hotel launches a three-day festival to mark the 90th anniversary of the session.
By Ayanda Boateng ·
San Antonio’s Gunter Hotel will mark the 90th anniversary of Robert Johnson’s 1936 recording session with a three-day event from November 12 to 14. The centerpiece of the celebration is Steven Johnson, the blues guitarist’s grandson, who plans to record in room 414, the very location where his grandfather laid down tracks that influenced Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin.
Johnson will also utilize the hotel’s Gunter Studio to complete an upcoming album for the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation. His work ties directly into a Saturday showcase in the Crystal Ballroom, where pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph will perform. Randolph recently won his first Grammy for his album Preacher Kids. He will share the stage with Texas blues-rock guitarist Ally Venable and the Steve L. Johnson Band.
University of Texas at San Antonio professor and performer Marco Cervantes, known professionally as Mexstep, will emcee the event. Tickets for the Saturday showcase begin at $59. The weekend programming extends beyond the main ballroom, with additional performances scheduled throughout the hotel’s various spaces.
The schedule begins on Thursday, November 12, with producer Michael Ramos leading tours of the Gunter Studio from 5 to 7 p.m. A Robert Johnson Revue featuring Nicky Diamonds will play in the Studio Lounge from 7 to 9 p.m., while the Aaron Stephens Trio performs at Bar 414 from 9 p.m. to midnight. On Friday, November 13, a conversation with the Robert Johnson Family, moderated by Hector Saldaña, is set for the Gunter Studio Lounge from 6 to 7 p.m.
Friday evening continues with performances by Tomar & The FCs and Jordan Matthew Young 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 final day on Saturday, November 14, features the main ballroom showcase from 7 to 10:15 p.m., concluding with the Eve Monsees Trio at Bar 414 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The Gunter Hotel reopened in 2025 following a $70 million renovation. Since its relaunch, the property has integrated its musical history into its operations, offering its recording studio to emerging artists and maintaining a record lending library in the lobby. The hotel has also established a music council that includes Black Pumas co-founder Adrian Quesada, Will and Noel Bridges of Antone's Nightclub, and Garrett T. Capps. Every guest room contains a turntable and a copy of King of the Delta Blues Singers.
Hotel owner Jiwon Choi stated that the Gunter is honored to bring talented artists together to celebrate the property's history. Choi noted that the hotel's mission is to honor predecessors and encourage future generations of artists who may come through its doors.
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