Steel Guitar Player Zachary Moulton Leaves Silverada
Earth-shaking news for the world of Austin-based honky tonk band Silverada, the entire Texas music scene, and country music in general. Steel guitar player Zachary “Bean Judge” Moulton has decided to leave the band. Considered both one of the most technically-skilled and tastefully-inclined steel guitar players in the entire business, it represents a major moment in what many consider country music’s best all around band.
The band said in a statement posted on Wednesday morning,
To our Silverada Family,
We’d like to take a moment to address a change happening within the band. Our steel player Zach has decided to part ways with us for personal reasons.
Zach has been a part of this band since the very early days when he taught himself to play pedal steel so he could join. We all love Zach very much and only want the best for him. Change is an unavoidable part of life and we’re grateful for the ride we’ve been on. He’s our brother and always will be.
While this is painful and difficult news for everyone, We’re looking forward to the next chapter of Silverada and heading into the year full throttle with a renewed sense of creativity and dedication to our work.
From fast ass chickin’ pickin’ that raises your honky honk cockles, to slow and melodic stuff to make you break out into goosebumps, Zachary Moulton is a steel guitar wizard of the highest order. In recent years, Zach also started singing more in the band, both as a harmonizer behind Silverada’s frontman Mike Harmeier, as well as singing lead on his own songs. Upon occasion, Mike Harmeier and Zach would tour as a duo. Zach also played dobro in the band.
Zachary Moulton’s departure comes just a year after the band changed their name from Mike and the Moonpies. Long time drummer Kyle Ponder left the band in March of 2022, and was replaced by Taylor Englert. No word of a replacement for Moulton at the moment. As some people might know, Silverada bass player Omar Oyoque also plays steel guitar upon occasion, though he might not move into that position.
Saving Country Music witnessed Zachary Moulton play his next-to-last show with Silverada on March 13th at Sagebrush in Austin during SXSW. Zach’s final show was March 15th at the Coupeland Dancehall in Coupeland, TX. Silverada’s next performance will be in Tomball, TX at Main Street Crossing on March 25th. Silverada also features Catlin Rutherford on guitar.
A cover of Uncle Tupelo’s “New Madrid” will be releasing on Friday with Mike Harmeier and Zachary Moulton as part of the band’s Texas 42 acoustic album.
– – – – – – – –
If you enjoyed this article, consider leaving Saving Country Music A TIP.
March 19, 2025 @ 9:25 am
I love Silverada. I hate the name change, but hey, that’s water under the bridge. But Moulton’s departure, to me, feels like another move that’s slowly sort of undoing all that I loved about these guys. Best wishes to him for whatever is next. The tourin’ life is tough.
March 19, 2025 @ 9:31 am
I agree. I’m a huge fan, but you have to be wondering if their best music is behind them at this point, given everything.
No shame in that, they’ve released some classic albums.
We shall see.
March 19, 2025 @ 9:43 am
“To our Silverada Family,
We’d like to take a moment to address a change happening within the band. Our steel player Zach has decided to part ways with us for personal reasons.
Zach has been a part of this band since the very early days when he taught himself to play pedal steel so he could join. We all love Zach very much and only want the best for him. Change is an unavoidable part of life and we’re grateful for the ride we’ve been on. He’s our brother and always will be.
While this is painful and difficult news for everyone, We’re looking forward to the next chapter of Silverada and heading into the year full throttle with a renewed sense of creativity and dedication to our work.”
Is this statement just full of Grace?
What class.
And this is why i love Mike Harmeier & family, & the band.
Much love and well wishes to all of them.
March 19, 2025 @ 9:48 am
He is such a unique player and his sound is really to me what defines the band. I guess the only constant is change, and I have a lot of faith in this band. Their last record was, in my opinion, their best. Can’t wait to see what is next for both Zach and the band.
March 19, 2025 @ 9:48 am
Devastating. First Kyle leaving, then the name change, and now Zach.. just a brutal couple of years for one of my all time favorites. Steak Night, Cheap Silver, and One to Grow On are all 10/10 albums for me. Was such an incredible 3-album run and (for completely selfish reasons) I’m sad that that era is over. Will continue to support and wish nothing but the best to these guys though.
March 19, 2025 @ 11:54 am
I am with you 100%.. that was an unbelievable album run and those solidified them as one of my favorite bands. It does feel like an end of an era with them.
March 20, 2025 @ 6:32 am
I kinda have have different era of the Moonpies that made me a big fan. I first found these guys on Bandcamp back before streaming became the main mode of listening to music. I thought the first 4 albums were great, and the band seemed to be on the verge of becoming one of the top independent country bands.
For me, I thought Cheap Silver was the beginning of the band going off the rails. While many of the bands fans liked the album, releasing a countrypolitan album that would only appeal to your hard core fans seemed a strange move for a band that might have quite possibly been ready for breakout. I wrote it off as a one off at the time, but then they followed with a Gary Stewart tribute and seemed to lose all momentum.
While One To Grow On had the band refinding its footing, the name/sound change for the next album is just another example of the band shooting itself in the foot. Now new fans probably have trouble even finding their music since streaming sites have half their music under Silverada, and the other half under the Moonpies, with no rhyme or reason of which is listed under which. Add members leaving the band, and I’m afraid Silverada/Moonpies has probably already surpassed its peak. Hopefully I’m wrong.
March 20, 2025 @ 8:05 am
I think you have a good point. I thought Cheap Silver was flexing some creative muscle, but the Gary Stewart tribute was definitely a passion project. Regardless I do think you’re on to something with that being the point where some momentum was lost.
I do really enjoy their first few albums as well, especially Mockingbird and The Hard Way. “Things Can Only Get Better” & “Sunday” might be my favorite two songs of theirs.
March 19, 2025 @ 10:03 am
Big loss for the band but, without trying to stir the pot, not totally surprising in my opinion. Purely a subjective observation but every time I saw them live over the last eight years so, despite the impeccable playing, Zach always seemed to have that fifty yard stare lookin’ like he’d had enough – maybe just a personal quirk on his part but the contrast was all the more pronounced by the fact that most of the rest of the band, especially Omar, always seemed to be grinning ear to ear and making eye contact with the rest of the band and the crowd while performing. Again, pure conjecture, but I wonder how much this has to do with the fact that the band just doesn’t seem to be gaining any ground commercially, despite the critical plaudits. After a while, gigging small clubs day in and day out for decades is gonna wear thin.
March 19, 2025 @ 10:33 am
In fairness, you rarely if ever see an animated steel guitar player this side of Robert Randolph. Part of the reason is they’re using their feet, their knees, and their hands pretty much at all times. It’s an incredibly complex instrument that requires concentration.
Also, there was definitely an effort to feature Zach more as time went on. Just over the last year, he started singing lead on a song or two. So if he was aloof, I’m not sure if he would be doing that kind of stuff.
Where I agree is it has to be frustrating for all of the members of this band that they’re not where they’re supposed to be. I always temper that with the truth that many bands would KILL to be in the position Silverada is. But it still feels like there is some wild disconnect here. That is why I don’t blame them for trying the name change, whether it was for better or worse. You had to try something. And I don’t blame any particular person for that disconnect. I blame myself for not figuring out how to better articulate to the world the importance and power of this band.
When I saw them play on Thursday at Sagebrush during SXSW, I expected a line out the door and down the block, like there was on Saturday when Rob Leines, Rattlesnake Milk, and Burger Patrol played. There was a good crowd for sure, but it really felt light, especially for a free show.
I don’t know what to do. But I still remain committed to try and get the world to wake up about this band. I hope they find a worthy replacement to Zach, and I hope Zach lands somewhere where he feels best and we still get to hear his playing.
March 19, 2025 @ 11:09 am
Yeah Buddy Emmons really was the ultimate exception to looking stone-faced and unanimated.
March 19, 2025 @ 12:03 pm
I would not have heard of them but for this website so don’t be too hard on yourself here!
March 19, 2025 @ 1:03 pm
It was way too small a crowd at Sagebrush for a free fuckin Silverada show during SXSW. Severely bummed me out. Last time they played a home game at Sagebrush it was packed. The fact they could only half-fill a relatively small dance hall in the home market is an extreme bummer and i really dont understand why. Hoping it was just bc it was a Thursday and they started late.
Jeremy pinnell and silverada both rip hard.
March 19, 2025 @ 1:15 pm
When I showed up Thursday, I was surprised how small the crowd was. But I thought hey, it’s Thursday, it’s SXSW and so a ton of other things are going on. Then when I came back to Sagebrush on Saturday and saw a line of 100+ people out the door, THAT is when I knew something wasn’t right with Thursday.
That said, Silverada played an INCREDIBLE show. It was my favorite performance of all of SXSW. It was Silverada, Kimmi Bitter, and everyone else.
I just don’t understand it, and I wish I knew what the solution was.
March 19, 2025 @ 10:20 pm
Their ego-centric rebrand seemingly has alienated much of their fan base, with many longtime listeners still skeptical of both the name change and the band’s subtle shift toward a more rock- and jam-oriented sound. I have yet to meet a single fan who personally embraces the new name.
The departures of key members adds to the uncertainty. Kyle’s continued presence in the music scene and touring post-Moonpies raises questions about the band’s evolution. Zach’s exit leaves a significant void—both in terms of musicianship and connection with fans. His talent, creativity, and character were integral to the band’s sound and appeal.
Unless Silverada can find an equally skilled and innovative replacement and establish a more cohesive direction on their next record, they may continue to struggle. It’s a tough loss, but here’s hoping for the best for everyone involved moving forward.
March 22, 2025 @ 4:35 pm
During the 25 yrs I was a regular at sxsw, that was secret of Wed and Thursday day shows. A chance for us locals to catch a free warmup show or just a sneaky gig for true fans. They were often empty bars and venues. Miss those cool shows, often you could find the band mingling around after the show for some easy conversation. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve told someone Zach is best steel player around. Man, this is hard news to swallow. Hope it works out well and all the best to everyone.
March 19, 2025 @ 3:57 pm
Off topic, but how’s Burger Patrol live? They come up on some greasy metal playlists, great energy.
March 19, 2025 @ 4:10 pm
Man, I’ve only seen a couple of songs from them numerous times. Saturday was the day I wanted to stick around and get the full experience, and then got called away. I’m not a metal guy, but all indications are that they are killer. The turnout definitely says a lot.
March 20, 2025 @ 8:18 am
I give Silverada a lot of credit being as independent as any established band right now, but part of me thinks that they need to sign to management or a label to really push them ahead. The amount of tools/ connections/ financial backing management and labels have can really catapult an artist from low club level to theatre/ ballroom shows. In my opinion, the marketing aspect behind the band is a significant reason for their stagnation- the fact is not a lot of people know who they are. Playing small club level shows will help up to a point, but there are also so many additional angles to todays digital music world that can be easily missed.
I’m sure Silverada has fielded multiple propositions from representation, but I don’t believe they are even signed to a management company (correct me if I’m wrong). I don’t think its the music quality (which I love), I just honestly think they need an additional boost (sync agent, management, label, PR firm, etc). Would love to hear your thoughts on this.
March 20, 2025 @ 9:09 am
Agreed. Props to them for staying independent and sticking with producer (and kinda manager?) Adam Odor for ages but there’s clearly been something missing in their strategy and there’s just way too many other buzzy independent artists rising up very quickly leaving them in the dust.
Unfortunately just being “talented” and getting a little bit of critical love isn’t enough these days.
The Moonpies/Silverada needed to reach a wider audience and they just didn’t have the marketing, distribution, and touring muscle for it. They should’ve signed a management deal a long time ago, around the Steak Night era, to get slots on big tours, TV appearances, etc.
Then again style and preference are probably big factors too – they never quite fit into any single particular trend within the larger indie-country revival of the last decade and didn’t stand out or command attention like a lot of other artists who seemed to find success very quickly.
March 20, 2025 @ 9:21 am
For the record, Silverada is booked by WME after they moved over with Red 11. That’s as big of a booking agency as there is, and Jon Folk and Josh Green are some of the best in the business. But festivals and big event have to want to book them, and it seems strange that some of them don’t, while other fests plan their roster around them.
I don’t know if they’ve ever been offered a big label deal and turned it down.
March 19, 2025 @ 10:42 am
In the three times I’ve seen them live, I’ve just been under the assumption that he’s something of an introvert.
March 19, 2025 @ 10:54 am
Yeah, possibly, probably – again, totally subjective observation on my part. Maybe I have an unhealthy habit of trying to glean band dynamics from watching their interaction and general demeanor onstage. As Trigger mentioned, steel playing involves a ton of focus and skill and steel players don’t have a lot of opportunity to express enthusiasm onstage even if they wanted to. Either way, big loss for the band. Really sorry to see him go.
March 19, 2025 @ 11:15 am
Because a steel guitar doesn’t have frets you have to keep an eye on where the bar is, along with listening to the guitar to make sure that you are staying on pitch. I like Robert Randolph but his style of playing and copedent (string and pedal set up) is not the standard country set up. Blues playing like that allows for a lot more sloppiness compared to traditional steel playing.
March 26, 2025 @ 8:22 am
I am with you on the steel playing. I play PSG and can tell you, first hand, that the concentration level required is very high. Sure, if you play the same sets for a year or two, it gets to be automatic. But you still have to pay close attention or a train-wreck is right around the corner. That’s why most steel players seem subdued.
March 20, 2025 @ 4:28 am
The only time I saw them, he was the only member of the band that went and hung out with fans at the bar afterwards. Sweet guy
March 19, 2025 @ 11:19 am
The 50 yard stare is just about required when you play the pedal steel. It’s just so friggin’ difficult that you end up looking like you’re pissed, but you’re just concentrating like hell.
March 20, 2025 @ 2:44 am
I was fortunate enough to catch them at one of their UK dates, all of the bad except for Mike, came to hangout in the crowd for a bit. While Zach was certainly more revered, I got a chance to say how much I loved his playing.
Obviously, Omar steels the show and is super charismatic in person as well
March 23, 2025 @ 2:52 am
I saw them in Newcastle, UK. But I first saw them at ‘The Hole In The Wall’ in Austin, shortly after ‘The Real Country’ had been released – so that’s quite some time ago now. They’re a great band.
But here’s a probably-unpopular opinion: I don’t enjoy the antics of the current bass player. For me, I prefer my side-men to be ‘heard, but not seen.’
March 19, 2025 @ 10:09 am
This sucks though have to say Silverada covering New Madrid sounds amazing
March 19, 2025 @ 11:03 am
Outside a few songs I prefer the era before Cheap Silver so I think something changed when the pianist left. Will be interesting to see if Zach leaving results in them doing even fewer more traditional honky tonk songs and more of the rock sound I prefer less from them.
March 19, 2025 @ 4:52 pm
I agree, there was something special with the full band. The piano added so much. I get not replacing him because that’s one more person to divide the gig money with.
Something seems strange here though with the timing.
March 19, 2025 @ 11:45 am
One of my favorite dudes, from my favorite band. He stayed really late signing autographs a couple years back and I have his autograph on one of my hats. This REALLY sucks!! I hope he is okay and its just a musical/personal choice and not health related so we will still get to hear his incredible playing.
March 19, 2025 @ 12:12 pm
The solo and steel tour was a blast and as others have said that three album run was incredible. Sad day but the writing feels on the wall here
March 19, 2025 @ 2:56 pm
This has always been my biggest worry about this band not taking off more and moving up to bigger venues/audiences. I have no idea why they have not gotten bigger, but I am sure grinding it out for so long and the financial aspect not paying off more, makes it a little easier to leave the band and look for other things.
March 20, 2025 @ 9:23 am
Mine too. It’s tough falling in love with an artist or band and seeing them grind for years without getting more successful, and feeling like that “indefinite hiatus” or breakup announcement is imminent. I’ve followed so many artists/bands over the years that didn’t make it and just called it quits, or disappeared altogether without any kind of formal announcement. Just gotta appreciate things while they last. Not saying that’s what’ll happen to Silverada, but it doesn’t look so good.
March 19, 2025 @ 6:09 pm
Dude is an insanely talented player. I’m shocked he learned expressly to join this band. I would have bet – and lost – real money that he was a ringer. Forget about the knee levers and pedals… just getting your pitch together playing with a bar is a huge undertaking. Not to mention his rhythm. Anywho, really surprised to hear he started from scratch with them.
March 20, 2025 @ 4:47 am
…at their gig in Switzerland a couple of years ago he earned them the review title: “steelworkers”. it can’t be highlighted enough what his placing there in the front row of the stage did to the overall impression and sound experience. for silverada clearly a major loss. hopefully, they find an adequate replacement for him soon.
March 20, 2025 @ 5:18 am
Love the band and especially Zach, my worry is that they don’t replace the steel chair, as a few friends of mine in Austin say, there would be a lot of bands with steel in them but there aren’t enough to go around, at least now.
The good news is that there are some really great young players already established and or coming up, at the Texas Steel Guitar show a few weeks ago, Steel Radio.org showcased about 8-9 players of top notch quality, so hoping that Silverada is able or willing to get a replacement soon, to me it’s integral to their sound, but again I’m a huge steel fan!
Good luck Zach on your endeavors!
March 20, 2025 @ 7:29 am
I went to the Texas Steel Guitar Jamboree last year and this year. Yesterday, I attended the Heart of Texas steel show and last month, I went to the San Antonio Steel Guitar monthly jam. There are some very talented young steelers in Texas.
March 20, 2025 @ 6:54 am
good luck zach – great player. really nice guy. have chatted steel with him in person and via DMs a few times. can’t wait to see where he pops up next.
March 20, 2025 @ 7:55 am
Find a steel player,asap. If not, I’ll be done.
March 20, 2025 @ 10:38 am
Country music and steel guitar are joined at the hip, and it’s a shame whenever and wherever they get detached. But it seems to me that the steel community is pretty healthy. It’s a small club, but the members are devoted. They attract devoted people. It’ll continue.
Let’s hope everyone comes out better after this shuffle.
March 21, 2025 @ 7:07 pm
This hurts.. Such a recognizable part of the sound.
March 25, 2025 @ 1:39 pm
Very large shoes to fill but hopefully this void won’t be left open. Loved his playing and we were merely teased as he has a great voice as well. Wish Zach all the best!