humanity
Humanity topics include pieces on the real lives of music professionals, amateurs, inspiring students, celebrities, lifestyle influencers, and general feel good human stories in the music sphere.
The Guitar
I decided to learn to play the guitar out of spite. My parents had bought one for me, years ago, but two separate instructors had been determined to use it as a means of teaching me to identify key signatures via Mary had a little lamb, London bridge is falling down, and various beige flavored compositions by other music tutors. I lost interest quickly. All of that changed on the night of my fifteenth birthday.
By Daniel Bradbury6 months ago in Beat
The Ephrata Files: 557 Days of Injustice and the Case for Civil Rights Accountability
By Dr. Jennifer Gayle Sappington, J.D. — Sunshine Firecracker Why These Files Exist This archive exists as both testimony and legal record. For 557 days and counting, I have documented how officials in Ephrata Borough, Lancaster County, the Ephrata Police Department, Lancaster County Prison, and Lancaster BHDS repeatedly violated both Pennsylvania law and the U.S. Constitution.
By Sunshine Firecracker6 months ago in Beat
10 Eighties Emo Albums That Defined the Genre
Eighties music has a reputation for being bright, sparkly and poppy, but in Washington, D.C., a darker genre was starting to evolve. The first "emotional hardcore" bands emerged from the 80s punk scene, setting the stage for mainstream emo to explode in the 2000s while giving listeners an outlet for their heartache, grief and rage.
By Kaitlin Shanks6 months ago in Beat
Worship Without Walls — Taking Praise to Festivals, Bars, and Streets
The Church Without a Ceiling For centuries, worship has been synonymous with sacred spaces: vaulted cathedrals, polished pews, stained glass windows. But if the past few years have taught us anything, it’s this: God is not limited by walls.
By Sunshine Firecracker6 months ago in Beat
Music at the Margins: Why the Church Needs Outsiders to Lead Revival
God Moves at the Edges History makes one truth clear: revival rarely begins at the center of power. It begins at the margins, among those dismissed, overlooked, or rejected by polite society.
By Sunshine Firecracker6 months ago in Beat
Jelly Roll: A Tattooed Prophet in the Pews
In every generation, God has a way of raising up voices from the margins—unlikely prophets who carry the raw honesty that traditional institutions often lack. In the late 1960s, it was the barefoot hippies walking into Calvary Chapel. Today, it may just be a heavily tattooed country-rap artist named Jelly Roll.
By Sunshine Firecracker6 months ago in Beat
Brandon Lake: The Chuck Smith of a New Generation?
Is Brandon Lake sparking a Jesus Revolution 2.0 as the Chuck Smith of our time? The original Jesus Revolution began when Chuck Smith welcomed the outsiders of his day into Calvary Chapel. Today, worship leader Brandon Lake may be playing a similar role—tearing down barriers through music, radical love, and collaborations that reach the margins. Could his ministry be the beginning of a new awakening?
By Sunshine Firecracker6 months ago in Beat
Zauntee – Jesus Called My Name: Why Recovery Is Possible When God Is Love
🎶 Introduction: Please Hear This When Zauntee released Jesus Called My Name, it landed like a lifeline. This wasn’t just another Christian track with polished hooks and predictable choruses — it was a raw testimony set to a beat.
By Sunshine Firecracker6 months ago in Beat
Brandon Lake’s Sevens: A Prophetic Anthem of the Jesus Revolution 2.0
Introduction: The Sound of Truth When the first riff of Brandon Lake’s Sevens from his King of Hearts album drops, it doesn’t feel like the start of a worship set — it feels like a revolution. 🔥 The guitars roar, the drums thunder, and the lyrics cut straight to the heart. This isn’t polished background music for Sunday morning; it’s prophetic fire wrapped in heavy rock. And that’s the point. Brandon Lake is stepping into the role of a modern-day prophet, using raw sound and unflinching truth to awaken a generation.
By Sunshine Firecracker6 months ago in Beat
More Than a Melody: Finding God's Plan in the Music of Brandon Lake
There are moments when the blueprint for your life feels like it’s been shredded. A closed door, a delayed promise, a dream that shatters in your hands—we’ve all stood in the rubble, wondering if the architect has abandoned the project. As the voice behind Sunshine Firecracker, I’ve always sought out art that speaks to resilient faith. It's in those moments of uncertainty that a song like Brandon Lake's "Plans" becomes more than a melody. It becomes an anchor. It’s a testimony that God’s design still holds, even when our path is covered in debris.
By Sunshine Firecracker7 months ago in Beat
Why Brandon Lake's 'Count 'Em' is the Anthem for Survivors of Narcissistic Abuse
When Brandon Lake’s song ‘Count ’Em’ hit the airwaves, it landed differently. It wasn't just another worship anthem; for those who have survived narcissistic abuse, it felt like a war cry. If you've endured the isolating terror of a smear campaign, covert abuse, or the systemic silencing that follows, you know this song is more than music. It’s a ledger. It's the validation you fought for. It’s a refusal to let an abuser's gaslighting rewrite your history.
By Sunshine Firecracker7 months ago in Beat
