Robert Johnson Grandson Cuts New Album in Gunter Hotel Room 414

Steven Johnson will record new material in Room 414 of the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, the same room where his grandfather, Robert Johnson, recorded in November 1936. The grandson of the Mississippi blues legend is using the hotel’s Gunter Studio to cut an album that the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation will release.

The recording sessions coincide with a three-day tribute marking the 90th anniversary of the 1936 session. Robert Johnson, who was 25 years old at the time, recorded material that influenced later acts including Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin. The Gunter Hotel reopened in 2025 following a $70 million renovation and has since emphasized its musical history.

Programming for the weekend runs from November 12 to 14. On Thursday, producer Michael Ramos leads tours of the Gunter Studio from 5 to 7 p.m. A Robert Johnson Revue featuring Nicky Diamonds performs in the Studio Lounge from 7 to 9 p.m., followed by the Aaron Stephens Trio at Bar 414 from 9 p.m. to midnight.

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

The Saturday showcase in the Crystal Ballroom runs from 7 to 10:15 p.m. Pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph, who recently won his first Grammy for Preacher Kids, performs alongside Texas blues-rock guitarist Ally Venable and the Steve L. Johnson Band. Marco Cervantes, a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio who performs as Mexstep, serves as emcee. Tickets for the event start at $59. The Eve Monsees Trio plays at Bar 414 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

The Gunter Hotel maintains a music council that includes Adrian Quesada, co-founder of Black Pumas; Will and Noel Bridges of Antone's Nightclub; and Garrett T. Capps. Guest rooms are equipped with turntables and copies of King of the Delta Blues Singers. Jiwon Choi, the hotel owner, stated in a release that the Gunter is "honored to bring so many talented people together in one place to celebrate our hotel's history and Robert Johnson's legacy."