05/15/2026
The City of Huntsville officially announced tonight the dedication of Microwave Dave Way and the Microwave Dave Dog Spot in honor of Dave Gallaher, beloved musician, educator, veteran, and community advocate known throughout the Tennessee Valley as Microwave Dave.
As part of the tribute, Cleveland Avenue will officially be renamed Microwave Dave Way. The location was chosen because of Dave and the Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation’s long connection and music legacy to the Lumberyard.
The Huntsville City Council adopted the resolution tonight in collaboration with Dave’s family, friends, faith community, and longtime supporters who worked alongside him throughout his life and career. The resolution honors Dave’s contributions to music, arts education, public service, and his connection to the Huntsville community.
For decades, Dave was a familiar presence across Huntsville stages, classrooms, parks, radio airwaves, churches, and community spaces. Through performances, mentorship, and advocacy, he worked to make music accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds.
In 2015, a group of Dave’s close friends, led by Allison Lewis, got together to honor him with a festival that has now lasted for over 12 years, aptly titled ‘Microwave Dave Day’. In 2018 the Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation was established as a nonprofit to fulfill and further Dave's educational passion. Today, the Foundation continues that mission through programs like Concerts in the Classroom and the Danny Hall Memorial Music Scholarship.
“Dave believed music could bring people together and that it should be accessible to everyone,” said Natalie Bishnoi, Managing Director of the Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation. “He spent his life creating opportunities for people to connect with each other, with music, and with their community. Huntsville meant so much to Dave, and it’s really special to see the city honor him in this way.”
The dedication of the Microwave Dave Dog Spot also reflects Dave’s lifelong love for animals, his involvement in community pet blessing events through the Episcopal Church of the Nativity, and his connection to the teachings of Saint Francis of Assisi.
“Perhaps the clearest example of this was his leadership at our annual Blessing of the Animals on the Feast Day of St. Francis,” said The Rev. T. Michael Goldsmith of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity. “More than one hundred people and their pets would gather in the Nativity courtyard, and Dave, in full monk attire, would offer prayers and bless each animal brought to the service. In his calm presence, the animals he blessed could feel his love for them.”
Goldsmith added that the dedication is “a fitting and beautiful way to recognize Dave’s lifelong connection with Saint Francis and his love for animals.”
Dave’s family has shared their appreciation for the Foundation as it continues the work Dave cared so much about and has expressed their overall support for the city’s efforts to honor Dave through the street and dog park dedication.
“The musical event that touched Dave so deeply during his fourth grade experience is now being recreated week after week in schools across North Alabama. The joy expressed by students, teachers, and performers alike is a testament to the work being done through the Foundation,”, said Tom, Jennifer, and Kyle Gallaher in a statement shared through the Foundation.
A Vietnam veteran, musician, educator, radio host, and community advocate, Dave spent decades enriching Huntsville’s cultural landscape. In addition to founding Microwave Dave and the Nukes, he hosted “Talkin’ the Blues” on WLRH and WJAB for 30 years and regularly performed in schools, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and community spaces throughout the region.
His impact on the Huntsville community was recognized in 2015 when he received a Key to the City of Huntsville.
The community has been invited to gather this Sunday, May 17 from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM for Microwave Dave’s Graduation Celebration at the Von Braun Center Propst Arena where the Resolutions to Honor Dave by City officials and some additional exciting tributes will be officially announced. The event is named for Dave’s belief that death is a graduation and a moment to celebrate a life fully lived. The free public gathering will feature performances from musicians and friends whose lives were shaped by Dave’s generosity, mentorship, and music.
“Dave left a lasting mark on Huntsville through his music, his generosity, and the way he brought people together,” Bishnoi said. “Huntsville meant so much to Dave, and we hope the community will join us this weekend to celebrate him and the incredible impact he had on so many lives.”
Press opportunities will be available at the May 17th Graduation for event coverage and interviews by Foundation board members, city dignitaries and family representatives. Please ask for Chase Griffin or Dennis Keim at check-in for assistance.
About the Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation:
The Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation is a Huntsville-based nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to music education across North Alabama through in-school music programs, scholarships, and community engagement initiatives inspired by the legacy of Dave Gallaher.
