Robert Johnson Grandson to Record in Room 414 for 90th Anniversary

Steven Johnson, grandson of blues legend Robert Johnson, will return to Room 414 at the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio to record a new album this weekend. The sessions mark the 90th anniversary of the original 1936 recordings made by his grandfather, a 25-year-old Mississippi guitarist whose work fundamentally shaped the trajectory of popular music. Johnson plans to utilize both the historic hotel room and the property's Gunter Studio for the production, with the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation scheduled to release the finished material.

The recording work serves as the lead-in to a three-day celebration running from November 12 to November 14. The event culminates in a Saturday showcase at the Crystal Ballroom featuring a lineup that includes Pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph, who recently won his first Grammy for Preacher Kids. He 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 under the name Mexstep, will emcee the event. Tickets for the showcase begin at $59.

Programming extends across the hotel throughout the weekend. On Thursday, November 12, producer Michael Ramos will lead tours of the Gunter Studio from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A Robert Johnson Revue featuring Nicky Diamonds is set for the Studio Lounge from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., while the Aaron Stephens Trio will play at Bar 414 from 9 p.m. to midnight.

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

The Saturday showcase runs from 7 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. in the Crystal Ballroom. The Eve Monsees Trio will follow at Bar 414 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. The Gunter Hotel reopened in 2025 following a $70 million renovation, a project that included integrating a record lending library in the lobby and equipping every guest room with a turntable and a copy of King of the Delta Blues Singers. The hotel has also established a music council comprising Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas, Will and Noel Bridges of Antone's Nightclub, and Garrett T. Capps.

Jiwon Choi, the hotel owner, stated in a release that the Gunter is honored to gather talented individuals to celebrate the property's history and Johnson's legacy. Choi noted that the mission is to honor those who came before while encouraging future generations of artists who may pass through the hotel.