Jim James Enlists Goose’s Rick Mitarotonda For Brian Wilson Cover Duet At Viva El Gonzo

By Andy Kahn May 11, 2026 • 8:37 am PDT

Members of My Morning Jacket mingled with the members of Goose at the latter’s Viva El Gonzo destination event in Mexico. My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James played a solo set over the weekend in San José del Cabo and summoned Goose guitarist Rick Mitarotonda for a special tribute to The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson.

James’ performance at Viva El Gonzo consisted largely of covers, with a few MMJ originals and songs from James’ solo catalog sprinkled in. Covers included “Wild Honey” by Fruit Bats and“Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” by George Harrison.

Jacket songs included “I’m Amazed” and “Get The Point” as well as “Never In The Real World,” which he tagged with Simon & Garfunkel’s “Homeward Bound.” He offered a take on “Changing World” from the Woody Guthrie posthumous lyrics project New Multitudes and sang “The World’s Smiling Now” and “A New Life” from his solo output.

Mitarotonda, who – along with Goose’s Cotter Ellis – also sat in with My Morning Jacket during their Viva El Gonzo set in Mexico, came out for the final song of James’ solo set. Both then played acoustic guitar on Brian Wilson’s “Love and Mercy.” Wilson originally released “Love and Mercy” on his 1988 self-titled debut solo album.

James and Mitarotonda linked up again during Goose’s headlining performance on Saturday, helping to cover Neil Young as part of his lengthy collaboration.

Watch video from Mexico of “Love And Mercy” and Mitarotonda and Ellis joining MMJ for “State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U.)”: