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Paul Scott knew it was time to invest what he could scrounge into producing a CD.

“The more places we went people were asking, ‘Do ya’ll have a CD?’ ‘Do you have something we can take home?’” Scott said of the urban gospel sound of his Generation Y band, “Paul Scott and One Way.”

Scott’s Greensboro-based group has traveled up and down the East Coast ministering their faith through music largely at youth-oriented word-of-mouth gigs. The group’s high-energy signature sound includes tiny slices of old-time gospel hymns and the insight of twentysomethings, with musical beats ranging from hip hop to rock. Scott started the group as a way to provide gifted young people an outlet.

“People may say, ‘What does your generation know about struggles?’ but this generation has its young parents trying to do right by their babies and young men simply trying to find a job every day,” the 23-year-old said. “The road gets hard and that’s what we’re trying to respond to.”

On Friday night, the group will hold a free, live recording session — part concert — at the Family Harvest Outreach Center on West Market Street.

“It’s more than a concert,” said Scott, a self-described “church boy” who works in an afterschool program. “We want people to come in and be free from their problems. Yes, these economic times are crazy … but God is able to do anything. He is a refuge.”

Lyrics reflect soul-searching music with a “don’t give up” and “this is how you get through it” influence. Statistics suggest twentysomethings are among a growing trend of people who no longer even claim a faith.Those outside of Generation Y have praised the group for “serious, sincere and scriptural” music that gets at anyone who feels lost and alone, said Mike White, the group’s 24-year-old musical producer.

“I was that kid who smoked weed and drank and partied all night, but I had an encounter with Jesus ... and I now know who he is and what his love feels like, and it’s empowering,” White said.

The CD of original tunes — including “Free,” with the words “I’m free to live, I’m free to move, I’m free to praise and I’m free to worship you” — should be available by early 2010.

“One Way” is more concerned with getting out a message to young people about worship that can change their lives than the prospect of selling CDs to them, Scott said. He does hope that eventually the sale of the music will support the ministry.
“We are trying bring our generation back — to move them in the right direction,” Scott said.

Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 373-7049 or nancy.mclaughlin@news-record.com