What if you learned a new instrument. Not in a year in a single month. And what if you dedicated your life to joining a band, touring with your husband, and playing to thousands of people only to be released without any reason? That’s what’s happened to Cheyenne Dalton Meyer.
On April 22, 2026, she spoke out on Instagram. She didn’t rage. She didn’t blame. She simply shared the truth she had been released from her job with Zach Top more than a month ago, the news had been brewing, and now she was ready to share.
Country music fans who followed her journey from selling merchandise to performing on stage were, shall we say, devastated.
Quick Summary
- Cheyenne Dalton Meyer was the rhythm guitarist and harmony singer for Zach Top’s backing band
- She announced Cheyenne Dalton Meyer fired news on Instagram on April 22, 2026 over a month after it actually happened
- Her husband Jimmy Meyer, the band’s bass player, was also let go at the same time
- No official reason has been given by Zach Top or his management
- The 2026 tour launched just two days later, on April 24, in Lubbock, Texas
- Cheyenne hinted at a possible solo music career in her farewell statement
Who Is Cheyenne Dalton Meyer?
If you’ve been watching Zach Top’s ascent over the past couple years, you’ve been watching Cheyenne too. You know her – the one who plays acoustic guitar one minute and fiddle the next, pulling off clean harmony vocals that make you want to cry.
Cheyenne and Zach Top have been friends forever. They played bluegrass together in their native Missouri long before “Bad Luck” came out. When Zach Top decided to start a band, he hired Cheyenne first as a merch girl, and then as a band member to replace her sister-in-law.
The cool thing is, she wasn’t a guitarist at first. She was a fiddle and mandolin player. But Zach needed a rhythm guitar player for his shows, and she was interested. So she learned 90 minutes’ worth of guitar parts in a month. That sort of determination says it all about the musician and the person.
As time went on, her role changed. She backed off the fiddle and mandolin, and played rhythm guitar and sang harmony. She even started singing solos in headliner shows, often singing “Suds In The Bucket” by Sara Evans. She wasn’t just a sideman. She was embraced by fans and an integral part of Zach Top’s live performances.
What Happened? The Firing, Explained
Cheyenne’s Instagram post which began “Let’s talk about it…” was the first official announcement. She announced she had been released from her job with Zach Top (in the post, “ZT”). She said it was unexpected, thanked her fans with “love and appreciation” and that she was home in Missouri.
She also reported her husband, Jimmy Meyer, the band’s bassist, who also grew up playing bluegrass with Zach had been fired. Jimmy has not announced his departure, but reports confirmed he was also out of the band.
To add insult to injury: Zach Top’s 2026 tour began just two days after Cheyenne’s announcement, on April 24 in Lubbock Texas. The fans in the crowd were treated to a completely new band. Cheyenne and Jimmy were gone. New faces were in.
Why Was She Fired?
This was never stated officially by Zach Top or his management or his record company. And Cheyenne herself didn’t cite a reason. She was more eulogistic than vindictive.
But some reporting done at Saving Country Music gives us some clues. In the middle to the end of 2025, Zach Top hired a new lead guitarist, William Bagby. With Bagby, Zach was able to spend more time singing and playing acoustic guitar himself which reduced the need for someone dedicated to playing rhythm guitar, Cheyenne’s primary role.
So the band’s new sound may have made her role redundant. Not because she wasn’t good. But because the dynamics of the band had changed.
Whether that’s the only story, only Zach Top’s inner circle can say. All fans can do is wonder at her unceremonial departure.
A Timeline of Events
Mid-Late 2025 William Bagby is hired as lead guitarist for Zach Top, changing the band’s dynamics.
Mid-March 2026 Cheyenne Dalton Meyer and Jimmy Meyer are fired from the band.
April 22, 2026 Cheyenne makes the announcement on Instagram: “A little over a month ago, I was let go from my position with ZT.”
April 24, 2026 Zach Top kicks off his 2026 tour to support George Strait at Jones Stadium, Lubbock, Texas. The band’s lineup is unveiled.
April 25, 2026 Zach Top performs at Athens, Georgia. The full new lineup is announced.
April 26, 2026 Public responses are coming in. Zach Top has not commented on the departures.
Zach Top’s New Band Lineup
By the time Zach Top played in Lubbock on April 24, the band had undergone some changes. The current band members are:
- William Bagby: Lead Guitar (joined in mid-2025)
- Norbert McGettigan: Bass (replacing Jimmy Meyer)
- Ryan “Stiggy” Stigmon: Steel Guitar and Saxophone (returning member)
- Ryan Joseph: Fiddle and Mandolin (new member)
- David Meyer: Keys and Fiddle (returning member)
- Nate Felty: Drums (new member)
A point of interest: David Meyer (keys and fiddle) is Jimmy Meyer’s brother and Cheyenne’s brother in law. So there’s still a Meyer onstage. But not the two that his fans have come to know and love.
How Fans Reacted
The message was swift and passionate. On social media, fans who had seen Cheyenne transition from merchandise seller to band member were surprised. Many noted she had been with Zach Top before the fame before the Grammy, before the sold-out arenas, before his name was on billboards.
Comments poured in with support. Many fans said they would like to see her try her hand at her own music, reflecting what she had hinted at in her statement. Others lamented the silence from Zach Top’s team. Others more realistically said that it is common for backing band personnel to change in the music industry, and that touring costs are often the determining factor in whether decisions are made on the basis of talent and loyalty to the band. Both can be true. It might be business as usual, and still be painful.
People Also Ask Questions
Why did Zach Top fire Cheyenne Dalton Meyer?
No official reason was given. Reports suggest the addition of lead guitarist William Bagby in late 2025 restructured the band’s sound and reduced the need for a dedicated rhythm guitarist, which was Cheyenne’s primary role.
Was Jimmy Meyer also fired from Zach Top’s band?
Yes. Cheyenne’s husband Jimmy Meyer, the band’s bassist, was also let go at the same time. He has since been replaced by Norbert McGettigan, a bluegrass bassist who has worked with several artists in the traditional country and bluegrass world.
When did Cheyenne Dalton announce she was fired?
She made her announcement on Instagram on April 22, 2026 more than a month after the actual firing took place. She said she kept the news private while processing it before choosing to share it publicly.
How long was Cheyenne in Zach Top’s band?
Cheyenne and Zach Top have known each other since childhood, having played together on the Missouri bluegrass circuit. She worked as his merch girl before joining the band as a full musician, learning guitar in one month to qualify.
Will Cheyenne Dalton Meyer go solo?
She hinted at it in her statement, writing that she might “put out some of my own music for the world to hear someday.” With her multi-instrument background fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and strong harmony vocals she has more than enough talent to build her own path.
Conclusion: This Isn’t the End of Her Story
There is something sweet about Cheyenne Dalton Meyer’s story that transcends the din of a band break-up. She wasn’t a celebrity kid or the subject of a record company talent search. She had a name and she worked at the merch table, and she learned to play a new instrument in 30 days, and she earned her spot in the band night after night.
And when the door was slammed in her face, she didn’t slam it back. She said thank you. She said she’d grown. She said she will find the next step.
This isn’t a wake up call. That is character. If country music is listening and it should be Cheyenne Dalton Meyer’s story will not end there. She might just be on the way up to something very, very special.
FAQs
What instruments does Cheyenne Dalton Meyer play?
She plays fiddle, mandolin, acoustic guitar, and rhythm guitar, and she performs harmony vocals. She originally joined Zach Top’s band as a fiddle player and taught herself guitar to earn her spot in the lineup.
Has Zach Top commented on the firing?
As of April 26, 2026, Zach Top has not issued any public statement regarding the departures of Cheyenne Dalton Meyer or Jimmy Meyer.
Where is Cheyenne Dalton Meyer now?
She is back home in Missouri. She confirmed this in her Instagram statement and said she will continue posting to her social media channels. She hinted at the possibility of releasing original music in the future.
Who replaced Cheyenne in the band?
There is no direct one-for-one replacement for her rhythm guitar role. With William Bagby on lead guitar and Zach Top himself playing more acoustic and rhythm guitar, the role was absorbed rather than replaced. New member Ryan Joseph has joined on fiddle and mandolin, filling part of her former musical versatility.
Who is David Meyer and why is he still in the band?
David Meyer is Jimmy Meyer’s brother and Cheyenne Dalton Meyer’s brother-in-law. He plays keys and fiddle in Zach Top’s band and was not part of the personnel change.
