Steven Johnson returns to Room 414 to record new album
The grandson of Robert Johnson will track music in the San Antonio hotel where his grandfather recorded in 1936, leading into a three-day festival.
By Natalia Thornton ·
Steven Johnson, grandson of the blues guitarist Robert Johnson, will return to Room 414 at the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio to record a new album. He will begin tracking in the room and the hotel's Gunter Studio starting November 12. The Robert Johnson Blues Foundation is scheduled to release the resulting album.
The recording sessions mark the 90th anniversary of the 1936 visit by Robert Johnson. The Mississippi native, who was 25 at the time, stayed at the hotel and recorded material that influenced later artists such as Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin. Steven Johnson will use the same physical space where those original tapes were made.
The recording work precedes a live showcase in the Crystal Ballroom on Saturday, November 14. Pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph, who won his first Grammy for his album Preacher Kids, will perform. He will be joined by 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 under the name Mexstep, will host the event. Tickets for the showcase begin at $59.
Additional programming runs throughout the hotel on Thursday, November 12, and Friday, November 13. On Thursday, producer Michael Ramos will lead tours of the Gunter Studio from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Robert Johnson Revue, featuring Nicky Diamonds, will perform in the Studio Lounge from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Aaron Stephens Trio will play at Bar 414 from 9 p.m. to midnight.
On Friday, a conversation with the Robert Johnson Family will take place in the Gunter Studio Lounge from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Hector Saldaña will moderate the discussion. Later that evening, Tomar & The FCs and Jordan Matthew Young will perform in the Crystal Ballroom from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Nick Brown & The Blues Cruise will follow at Bar 414 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The Gunter Hotel reopened in 2025 following a $70 million renovation. The property has integrated its musical history into its operations by opening the recording studio to new artists and maintaining a record lending library in the lobby. A music council currently advises the hotel. Members of this group include Adrian Quesada, co-founder of Black Pumas, and Will and Noel Bridges of Antone's Nightclub. Garrett T. Capps also serves on the council. Every guest room contains a turntable and a copy of the album King of the Delta Blues Singers.
Hotel owner Jiwon Choi stated that the property is honored to gather talented individuals to celebrate its history and the legacy of Robert Johnson. Choi noted that the mission is to honor past artists while encouraging future generations who may arrive at the hotel.
Source: CultureMap San Antonio
