Huntsville remembers "Microwave Dave" Gallaher

Huntsville lost a cultural pillar last week when Dave Gallaher, known as Microwave Dave, died Friday at 79.

Social media quickly flooded with tributes and memories, honoring a man who championed music and education for decades.

• The Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation announced the news on Facebook, saying "Dave didn't just play the music; he lived it."
• "While his talent was unquestionable, his ultimate joy was found in the classroom," the announcement says. "Nothing made Dave smile quite like seeing school children light up with amazement as he and The Nukes ripped through a set."

The Foundation, a nonprofit founded at Gallaher's request, works to bring live music education into local classrooms through its flagship "Concerts in the Classroom" program.

• The annual Microwave Dave Day served as a fundraiser for the foundation, which also gives local students scholarships for one year of tuition at music schools.

Gallaher moved to Huntsville in the '80s, after serving in Vietnam, writes Matt Wake for AL.com, and with Microwave Dave & The Nukes, quickly became Huntsville's signature musician.

On Facebook, the city called Gallaher "a giant in the music scene," and Mayor Tommy Battle said he was "a true original," who will be "deeply missed in our community."

• "He believed deeply in music education, worked tirelessly to support our schools, and made sure young people had access to instruments and opportunity," Battle said in the post.

"The Microwave Dave Music Foundation and Dave's family are deeply grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of love for our beloved Microwave Dave," the foundation shared in a statement, saying they're taking time to process the loss.

• "Soon, we will share more information about Microwave Dave's Graduation Celebration, a gathering named for Dave's belief that death is a graduation. This will be a time for us to all come together to remember our friend and honor his extraordinary life."