Gunter Hotel Hosts Three-Day Blues Celebration

San Antonio’s Gunter Hotel will mark the 90th anniversary of Robert Johnson’s 1936 recording session with a three-day event from November 12 to 14. The weekend commemorates the Mississippi guitarist, who was 25 when he checked into the hotel and recorded material that influenced later popular music.

Steven Johnson, the bluesman’s grandson, will record new music in Room 414 where the original session took place. He will also use the hotel’s Gunter Studio to cut an upcoming album for release by the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation. The 1936 session inspired artists including Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin.

The main performance takes place in the Crystal Ballroom on Saturday. Pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph, who recently won his first Grammy for the album Preacher Kids, will share the stage with Texas blues-rock guitarist Ally Venable and the Steve L. Johnson Band. Marco Cervantes, a University of Texas at San Antonio professor who performs as Mexstep, will emcee the event. Tickets for the showcase start at $59.

Programming extends throughout the hotel on all three days. On Thursday, November 12, producer Michael Ramos will lead tours of the Gunter Studio 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 will play at Bar 414 from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Friday, November 13, includes 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 will perform in the Crystal Ballroom from 8 to 10 p.m. Nick Brown & The Blues Cruise will take the stage at Bar 414 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Saturday concludes with the ballroom showcase from 7 to 10:15 p.m. The Eve Monsees Trio will follow at Bar 414 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. The Gunter reopened in 2025 after a $70 million renovation and has integrated its musical history into its operations. The hotel maintains a record lending library in the lobby and equips every guest room with a turntable and a copy of King of the Delta Blues Singers.

Hotel owner Jiwon Choi said the Gunter is honored to bring talented people together to celebrate the hotel’s history and Robert Johnson’s legacy. Choi added that the mission is to celebrate those who came before and encourage future generations of artists. The hotel’s music council includes Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas, Will and Noel Bridges of Antone’s Nightclub, and Garrett T. Capps.