Mike Gonzalez Announces Forever Jimmy G Legacy Cruise for 2028

Mike Gonzalez is taking his father’s legacy to the high seas.

During a recent live social-media video, Mike Gonzalez of Mike Gonzalez & The Iconiczz announced plans for the inaugural Forever Jimmy G Legacy Cruise, a special five-day celebration honoring his late father, Tejano icon Jimmy Gonzalez, on the 10th anniversary of his passing.

The cruise is scheduled for January 22–27, 2028, aboard Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas, with stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya.

For Mike, the event is about much more than a vacation. It is a celebration of his father’s music, influence and the community that continues to embrace the Jimmy G legacy.

“Celebrating my father’s 10th anniversary of him going, you know, with the Lord, we will be putting on the Forever Jimmy G Legacy Cruise in January of 2028,” Mike said during the livestream. “It’ll be the first annual celebrating his 10th anniversary.”

Mike acknowledged that the cruise will also be a first for him personally.

“I’ve personally never been on a cruise. It’ll be my first time,” he said.

A Star-Studded Lineup En Route to Cozumel and Costa Maya

Mike revealed a growing lineup of Tejano, Conjunto and música mexicana artists who will join the celebration.

The announced performers include:

• Mike Gonzalez & The Iconiczz
• Fern TX
• The Homeboyz
• Jenny B
• Art Tijerina
• Jaime de Anda
• Chris Perez & Grupo Metal
• Bumper Gomez, host
• DJ Bad Boy Al
• DJ Bad Boy Josh

Mike said one additional performer is already in the final stages of being added to the cruise but could not yet be publicly identified.

“There’s one more artist that I cannot mention because we’re already at the final stages,” Mike explained. “I promise you it’s going to be… I can’t tell you who it is.”

He indicated that the final artist could be announced within approximately one or two weeks.

Mike Gonzalez & The Iconiczz

Mike Gonzalez continues the musical legacy of his father through Mike Gonzalez & The Iconiczz, a band that carries the Jimmy G sound into a new generation.

The group recently returned to Freddie Records, the label that was home to Jimmy Gonzalez and Grupo Mazz, releasing the new album The Legacy Continues. The project includes the single “Siempre Te Cuidaré,” written by Siggno frontman Jesse Turner and described by the group as a song that honors the signature Jimmy G sound while introducing it to a new generation. 

The cruise will give fans an opportunity to experience Mike and The Iconiczz as part of a celebration specifically created around his father’s musical legacy.

Fern TX

Mike described Fern TX as one of the rising Conjunto acts featured on the cruise.

The artist represents the younger generation of performers helping carry Conjunto forward, making his inclusion especially fitting for an event centered on musical legacy and the future of the culture.

The Homeboyz

The Homeboyz bring a connection to the historic Hometown Boys tradition. The group is made up of former members of The Hometown Boys.

The Homeboyz have also been recognized by the Tejano Music Awards, including Best New Artist – Male for lead vocalist Elias Arredondo and Best New Artist – Group honors in 2022.

Jenny B

Tejano Music Awards winner for Best New Female Artist in 2025,  Jenny B, is another performer announced for the cruise.

Jenny B comes from a musical family with deep roots in the Tejano scene. Her family group, Los Agues, was active during the 1990s, and the group performed with Selena and appeared in the 1997 Selena film. 

Jenny later launched her own solo career and eventually returned to her Tejano roots with “Beso De Amor,” produced by Tejano veteran Hugo Guerrero. 

Art Tijerina

Art Tijerina is a veteran Tejano vocalist whose career includes his work with the Grupo Vida.

With Tijerina as its singer, the group earned recognition from the Texas Talent Musicians Association, including Most Promising Band of the Year in 1996. 

Tijerina’s participation adds another connection to the history of the Tejano music scene.

Jaime deAnda

Tejano and música mexicana veteran Jaime deAnda is also scheduled to perform.

DeAnda is known for his longstanding career in Texas Mexican-American music and his continued presence on the Tejano and conjunto circuit. His inclusion gives the cruise another connection to the generations of musicians who helped establish the sound and culture celebrated by Jimmy Gonzalez.

Chris Perez & Grupo Metal

One of the most notable names on the announced lineup is Chris Perez, the Grammy-winning guitarist and former member of Selena y Los Dinos, performing with Grupo Metal.

Perez and Grupo Metal combine Tejano, cumbia, Latin pop and rock, with heavy guitar elements forming part of their distinctive sound. The group was formed around Carlito Miranda, whose musical roots go back to the Texas Tejano scene. 

Perez’s musical history includes his years playing guitar with Selena y Los Dinos, followed by his work with the Chris Perez Band and Kumbia Kings/Kumbia All Starz. 

The group’s appearance aboard the Forever Jimmy G Legacy Cruise adds a modern rock-meets-Tejano dimension to the lineup.

Bumper Gomez to Host

The cruise will be hosted by Bumper Gomez, the creator and host of Bumper’s Wacky Wednesday.

Gomez’s weekly video podcast focuses on Tejano culture and features conversations with singers, musicians, advocates and other personalities from the Tejano and Conjunto community. The program began during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. 

Two DJs will also keep the music going throughout the cruise: DJ Bad Boy Al and DJ Bad Boy Josh.

Honoring the Legacy of Jimmy Gonzalez

The cruise is being organized around the 10th anniversary of the passing of Jimmy Gonzalez, one of the most influential figures in modern Tejano music.

Born and raised in Brownsville, Texas, Jimmy Gonzalez co-founded Grupo Mazz in 1978. He became the group’s guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, producer and one of the principal creative forces behind its sound. 

Following the 1998 breakup of Mazz, Gonzalez continued his musical career with Jimmy Gonzalez y Grupo Mazz. He signed with Freddie Records in 1999, and the group went on to record 18 albums for the label. 

Gonzalez’s accomplishments included an unprecedented six Latin Grammy Awards for Best Tejano Album, a record that remains a defining part of his legacy. His final album, Porque Todavía Te Quiero, was released in April 2018. 

Jimmy Gonzalez died on June 6, 2018, at age 67, at a San Antonio hospital. His death was reported by his family and representatives of Freddie Records. 

At the time of his passing, Freddie Records described Gonzalez as a Tejano music pioneer, legend and multiple Latin Grammy winner and highlighted his contributions as a producer, guitarist, vocalist and musical force behind Grupo Mazz. 

Jimmy Gonzalez’s influence remains evident through the music of artists who continue to perform his songs and through the next generation of musicians carrying elements of his sound forward.

Mike Gonzalez & The Iconiczz have embraced that responsibility directly, with their current musical work positioned as a continuation of the Gonzalez family legacy. 

“A Very Special” Celebration at Sea

For Mike, the Forever Jimmy G Legacy Cruise is ultimately about bringing the Jimmy G family — musicians, fans and supporters — together.

“It’ll be very special to me. And to all of my camp, you know, everything that we do that’s for Jimmy G is very special for us,” Mike said.

The inaugural Forever Jimmy G Legacy Cruise is scheduled for January 22–27, 2028, aboard Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas, sailing to Cozumel and Costa Maya.

Mike encouraged fans interested in attending to act quickly once reservations become available.

According to Mike’s announcement, fans can call 972-974-6984 and ask for Tina Gonzalez for information. A QR code on the official promotional flyer is also expected to direct fans to additional cruise information.

As Mike and The Iconiczz continue carrying the Jimmy G name into a new generation, the Forever Jimmy G Legacy Cruise promises to bring that legacy together in an entirely new setting — out at sea.

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