Warren Haynes Covers Rev. Gary Davis’ ‘You Gotta Move’ For New York Guitar Festival

Gov’t Mule frontman Warren Haynes was the last addition to the New York Guitar Festival’s inaugural digital event. Haynes performed a cover of “You Gotta Move” in keeping with the festival’s Reverend Gary Davis: In Search Of The Harlem Street Singer theme that premiered on Thursday.

Warren was the penultimate performer of the event, which concludes today with a song from Larkin Poe. Reverend Gary Davis recorded his version of “You Gotta Move” in 1962 and added lyrics of his own to the traditional tune. The Rolling Stones famously released “You Gotta Move” on their 1971 studio album Sticky Fingers. Mick Jagger and company debuted the song live in 1969 and revived “You Gotta Move” at a 2015 concert for the first time since 1976.

“I heard a story that Reverend Gary Davis supposedly didn’t like slide guitar,” Haynes said at the start of the video. “He told somebody that it was cheating. I don’t know if it’s true or not but I’m going to cheat a little bit right now.” Warren then went on to play a solo take on “You Gotta Move” using a slide on his electric guitar. Watch Warren Haynes’ “You Gotta Move” below: