Gunter Hotel Cuts New Blues Album

The Gunter Hotel in San Antonio is converting a historic hotel room into a recording studio to mark 90 years since a 1936 blues session. From November 12 to 14, the property will host a three-day event centered on that original recording. The initiative aims to monetize the venue's musical heritage while producing new content for the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation.

Steven Johnson, grandson of the original artist, will record new material in Room 414. This is the specific room where the 25-year-old Mississippi guitarist checked in and tracked his 1936 material. Johnson will also use the hotel's Gunter Studio to cut tracks for an upcoming album. The foundation plans to release this new work, extending the commercial life of the original sessions that influenced artists such as Eric Clapton and Led Zeppelin.

The weekend culminates in a Saturday showcase in the Crystal Ballroom. Pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph, who recently won a Grammy for his album Preacher Kids, will perform. He will share the stage with 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 emcee the event. Tickets for the showcase begin at $59.

Programming extends across the hotel property beyond the main ballroom. On Thursday, November 12, producer Michael Ramos will lead studio tours from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Robert Johnson Revue featuring Nicky Diamonds will play in the Studio Lounge from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Aaron Stephens Trio will perform at Bar 414 from 9 p.m. to midnight. Friday, November 13, includes a moderated conversation with the Robert Johnson Family in the Gunter Studio Lounge from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., hosted by Hector Saldaña. Tomar & The FCs and Jordan Matthew Young will play in the Crystal Ballroom from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., while Nick Brown & The Blues Cruise will perform at Bar 414 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. The schedule concludes Saturday, November 14, with the ballroom showcase running from 7 p.m. to 10:15 p.m., followed by the Eve Monsees Trio at Bar 414 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

The Gunter reopened in 2025 following a $70 million renovation. The hotel has integrated musical elements into its business model by opening its recording studio to emerging artists. A record lending library operates in the lobby. A music council, which includes Black Pumas co-founder Adrian Quesada and Antone's Nightclub figures Will and Noel Bridges, guides the venue's cultural direction. Every guest room features a turntable and a copy of King of the Delta Blues Singers. Hotel owner Jiwon Choi stated in a release that the property is honored to celebrate its history and Robert Johnson's legacy.