Rephonic
Artwork for The String
Nashville
Americana Music
Bluegrass
Country Music
Bluegrass Music
American Roots Music
Jazz
Folk Music
Molly Tuttle
Kaitlin Butts
Berklee College Of Music
Songwriting
Grammy Awards
WMOT Roots Radio
Oklahoma
Sacred Steel
Jacob Jolliff
Gaby Moreno
Grand Ole Opry
American Music

The String is weekly think radio featuring conversations and features on culture, media and American music - anchored by veteran journalist and broadcaster Craig Havighurst. Music makers, enablers, instigators and documentarians are featured with enough time to go deep and burrow into issues, while letting the music play too. Music news, previews, Time Machine Tape and 90 Second Spins round out th... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes300Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Performing ArtsArtsSociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The String

Latest Episodes

Episode 368: He's one of Music City's most respected "multi-hyphenate" music-makers - an artist-singer-songwriter-picker-producer who's had his hand in scores of hit records while releasing much-admired albums of his own over a 20 year career in town... more

Episode 367: One of the stars of Nashville's recent honky tonk boom first found her muse playing in late night jazz clubs of New York and Paris. That set Sweet Megg apart when she moved here just after the pandemic - a flair for early blues and hot c... more

Episode 366: In The Hour Of Chaos, Allison Russell's third solo album, brings the power of harmony and solidarity into a time of division and fear. In an interview days before its release, the songwriter says her "rainbow coalition" of collaborators ... more

Episode 365: His biography sounds like several different people: accomplished jazz guitar player, New York City glam rocker, progressive Americana songwriter in Nashville. That's why Aaron Lee Tasjan comes across as a true American original. Over 13 ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Sweet Megg
Singer and songwriter, Americana jazz artist
Massive Negroni project, Sweet Megg and the Rooftop Stompers, Wayfarers
Episode: Sweet Megg
Allison Russell
Singer-songwriter and activist, solo artist and collaborator across multiple bands
Fantasy Records; Concord Records; Rainbow Coalition
Episode: Allison Russell
Aaron Lee Tasjan
American songwriter and guitarist, East Nashville-based artist
solo artist, Get Over It, Underdog
Episode: Aaron Lee Tasjan
Avery Hellman
Nashville/California-based singer-songwriter known as Ismay
Ismay, Fossil Records (label)
Episode: ISMAY
Devon Gilfillian
Singer-songwriter, musician behind Time Will Tell and Marvin Gaye tribute project
Fantasy Records (Time Will Tell), Capitol Records (past)
Episode: Devon Gilfillian
Tenille Townes
Songwriter-artist, Canadian country musician
Nashville music scene
Episode: Tenille Townes
John R. Miller
Nashville-based, West Virginia-raised singer-songwriter
Rounder Records, The Great Unknowning
Episode: John R. Miller
Andy Leftwich
Fiddler and mandolinist, Bluegrass musician
Solo artist / The Aces
Episode: Andy Leftwich
Kashus Culpepper
Musician, debut album Act 1 on Big Loud Records
Big Loud Records
Episode: Kashus Culpepper

Host

Craig Havighurst
Host of the show focusing on culture, media, and American music; deep-dive conversations with music makers, enablers, and documentarians.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 60 ratings
  • Look forward to every episode!

    I can’t believe what a good interviewer Craig is. His questions are insightful and thoughtful, and he obviously puts guests at ease with his easy manner. His critiques are intelligent and make me want to go out and buy music from almost everyone he talks with or about. Keep it up, Craig!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KatyGLibrarian
    United States2 years ago
  • Jerry Garcia episode is a classic

    The Jerry Garcia episode is the best podcast episode (of any type) this year. The three part structure, interviews and analysis are supurb. Lots of great new info here. I’m keeping this episode and telln’ all my friends about it. Tks.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    pwb in dc
    United States2 years ago
  • Craig is a fount of music wisdom

    So good!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    StopeNasty
    United States3 years ago
  • Wonderful Todd Snider interview!

    Questions I’ve never heard him asked… very intimate discussion. Thank you, Craig!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rick Shanley
    United States4 years ago
  • Great show!

    I loved the episode on Tulsa. Looking forward to the Blonde on Blonde episode as well as many others.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tomgentry9796
    United States7 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the host's insightful, thoughtful questions and easy demeanor.
The host is viewed as a credible source with smart musical taste and curiosity.
Episodes are described as respectful, in-depth, and artful, with strong musical insights.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Allison Russell
Q: Can you walk us through the major chapters of your musical journey from Fear of Drinking to Po Girl and Birds of Chicago?
She explains starting in Fear of Drinking as a formative early experience, moving through Po Girl and Birds of Chicago, and then building a broad collaborative network (the Rainbow Coalition) that shaped her solo work and later projects like The Returner and In The Hour Of Chaos.
Tenille Townes
Q: What was it like getting signed and knowing this was where you'd place your faith?
Townes recalls the excitement of performing in a boardroom, being told her voice reminded others of Leonard Cohen, and the realization that the initial big-label path could be both inspiring and constraining, which ultimately led her to pursue a more independent route.
Voices From Folk Alliance 2026
Q: What is Folk Alliance to you specifically, personally, professionally right now?
The guest describes Folk Alliance as a pivotal, circle-completing moment that aligns personal, professional, and artistic growth with opportunities to connect with an intentional audience.
Kristina Train
Q: What prompted your shift from a heavily orchestrated Dark Black to a more country-inflected County Line?
A combination of wanting to honor my roots, the move back to the South, and a long-game mindset to experiment with what I'm capable of, while staying true to my voice.
Kristina Train
Q: How did your time with Herbie Hancock shape your approach to music and collaboration?
It taught me to observe, lead by example through action, and treat every collaboration as a deep, respectful journey rather than a quick fix; the personal growth was as important as the music itself.

Audience Metrics

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Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About The String

What is The String about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, music-forward program that centers conversations with artists, songwriters, and industry insiders who shape American roots, Americana, and folk scenes. Episodes commonly explore craft, influences, collaboration, and the evolving music business, often balancing deep personal storytelling with practical career insights. Noteworthy are long-form, musician-centered discussions that blend technical artistry with cultural context, and a tasteful mix of live-performance moments and behind-the-scenes anecdotes that make the craft feel accessible to fans and aspiring guests alike.

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Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The String. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The String and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

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To see how many followers or subscribers The String has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of The String are there?

The String launched 9 years ago and published 300 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The String?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on The String?

Recent guests on The String include:

1. Sweet Megg
2. Allison Russell
3. Aaron Lee Tasjan
4. Avery Hellman
5. Devon Gilfillian
6. Tenille Townes
7. John R. Miller
8. Andy Leftwich

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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