It is with deep sorrow and heavy hearts that the Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation announces the passing of a true legend and a very dear friend to both our local community and the blues world at large, Microwave Dave Gallaher.

A master of the blues and a pillar of our community, Dave didn’t just play the music; he lived it. He walked through life guided by his faith and anchored by his convictions. On stage, Dave had a way of making his guitars sing and weep in the same breath, guiding us all through a musical blues experience that only he could conjure.

A master of the blues and a pillar of our community, Dave didn’t just play the music; he lived it. He walked through life guided by his faith and anchored by his convictions. On stage, Dave had a way of making his guitars sing and weep in the same breath, guiding us all through a musical blues experience that only he could conjure. While his talent was unquestionable, his ultimate joy was found in the classroom. Nothing made Dave smile quite like seeing school children light up with amazement as he and The Nukes ripped through a set. He was a man on a mission to instill a lifelong passion for music and education —the very thing that defined his own journey. Though he was a master of his craft, Dave remained profoundly humble and kind. To everyone who knew him, his warmth, generosity, and wit were just as legendary as his signature slide work. The music may have paused last night , but the star and heavens will shine a little brighter as Dave’s soul and his voice will continue to resonate in our hearts—and in the lives of the students he inspired—forever.

We know he is “Talkin’ and Singing the Blues” now on a much grander stage.
Microwave Dave Gallaher – April 25, 1946 – February 6, 2026
Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

If you would like to learn more about Microwave Dave check out this wonderful retrospective of Dave’s storied life “I’m A Road Runner”