Steven Johnson to track new album in 1936 Gunter Hotel room

Steven Johnson, the grandson of blues legend Robert Johnson, will record a new album in Room 414 of the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio. He will use the hotel's Gunter Studio to capture the sessions. The Robert Johnson Blues Foundation plans to release the finished work.

The recording effort anchors a three-day event scheduled for November 12 to 14, 2026. The dates mark the 90th anniversary of the original 1936 session. In 1936, 25-year-old Robert Johnson checked into the hotel and 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. Since then, the property has integrated its musical history into its operations. Every guest room now contains a turntable and a copy of King of the Delta Blues Singers. The lobby features a record lending library. A music council advises the hotel, with members including Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas, Will and Noel Bridges of Antone's Nightclub, and Garrett T. Capps.

Programming begins on Thursday, November 12, with Gunter Studio tours led by producer Michael Ramos from 5 to 7 p.m. A Robert Johnson Revue featuring Nicky Diamonds will perform in the Studio Lounge from 7 to 9 p.m. The Aaron Stephens Trio follows in Bar 414 from 9 p.m. to midnight.

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

The main showcase occurs on Saturday, November 14, in the Crystal Ballroom from 7 to 10:15 p.m. Pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph, who recently won his first Grammy for Preacher Kids, will headline. He will join 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, will serve as emcee. Tickets for the event start at $59. The Eve Monsees Trio will close the weekend in Bar 414 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Hotel owner Jiwon Choi 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." Choi added, "It is our hope and our mission to celebrate those that have come before us, and encourage future generations of artists that may come through our doors."