For Young Men 4 Christ (YM4C), the story behind Kept Through It All: Live in Detroit is about much more than making another gospel quartet recording. The Detroit-based group, the 2021 Stellar Awards Winner for Quartet of the Year, has spent years navigating the challenges of maintaining a musical ministry, preserving tradition while reaching new listeners.
In an interview with Postively Gospel Media (PGM), group member Deveon Gross discusses founding YM4C, why Detroit was the perfect place for their live recording, and the importance of quartet music to a younger generation. Gross also discussed the collaborations that brought Detroit and Chicago musicians together on the album and the role faith and prayer have played in keeping the group united.
The Journey of Young Men for Christ
PGM: Tell us about the journey of Young Men for Christ. How did the group get started?
Deveon Gross: Young Men for Christ started as a father-and-son family group. It began with Frank McGee Jr., Frank McGee III, Eric Johnson Jr., and Eric Johnson Sr. It came together after Frank was asked to sing somewhere and wanted to put a group together to go out and sing. Over the years, the group evolved and brought in additional members, including myself as a lead singer, along with Antoine Alexander and Cordell Nelson. Today, Young Men for Christ includes Frank McGee Jr., Frank McGee III, Eric Johnson Jr., Eric Johnson Sr., Antoine Alexander, Cordell Nelson, and myself. We’ve been singing together for almost 16 years, and next year will mark that milestone. It’s been an awesome journey, and I’ve enjoyed singing with these fellas throughout the years.
PGM: Several family members are involved in the group. Did you all know each other through the community before coming together musically?
Deveon Gross: We grew up in the same Detroit community, attending quartet programs and listening to different groups throughout the city. I have a family group called the Stars of Faith, and my cousin used to sing with the Mighty Voices of Wonder. We were all around each other, so one way or another, we eventually found each other. Some of the members are related by blood. Eric Johnson Sr., Eric Johnson Jr., Frank McGee Jr., and Frank McGee III are family. Cordell Nelson, Antoine Alexander, and I aren’t related to them by blood, but our bond is stronger than that. We have a lot of history, going back to our childhood and the quartet programs we attended in Detroit. Those shared experiences helped build the foundation for the brotherhood we have today.
The Story Behind Kept Through It All
PGM: Let’s talk about the album, Kept Through It All: Live in Detroit. What does that phrase mean to you personally and to the group?
Deveon Gross: We chose “Kept Through It All” because Young Men for Christ has experienced a lot of things that could have broken us. We’ve been stabbed in the back, talked about, scandalized, and misunderstood. We’ve lost loved ones and faced many challenges leading up to that live recording. I believe the album title speaks to our testimony. The Bible says we overcome by our testimonies, and this project tells the story behind the struggle. Even after winning the Stellar Award and experiencing success, people we thought loved and supported us turned their backs on us. But God continued to show Himself faithful and kept us through it all.Some of us have also dealt with sickness. I was sick myself and almost lost my life last year, after the recording. So the title is deeply personal. It speaks to how God has sustained us. We’re not doing this just to sing or to be seen. We want God to receive the glory, and we want people to understand that even when you’re going through something difficult, God can still keep you through it all.
PGM: You chose to record the project live in Detroit. What made your hometown the right place for this recording?
Deveon Gross: Our lead singer came up with the idea of doing a live recording. When we started discussing where to do it, he suggested Detroit. We wanted to give the city that authentic Detroit quartet feeling and experience. We also wanted to do something meaningful for the quartet community here. We saw an opportunity to make history, give our people something memorable, and leave a lasting mark on our city. Recording in Detroit let our community be part of that history. Looking back, I believe it was an awesome experience and something that will be remembered.
PGM: Live recordings can be unpredictable. How did you capture the energy and authenticity of the worship experience?
Deveon Gross: It may sound crazy, but we didn’t have too many mishaps during the recording. From beginning to end, we felt God reveal Himself. The entire event became much more than a recording for us. It was an experience built on the expectation that God would move as we sang and gave Him praise. What people hear and see on the recording reflects real moments when we allowed God to have His way. Capturing that kind of atmosphere can be difficult because you can’t manufacture a genuine worship experience. I believe that when you go in expecting God to move and trust Him to do what you’ve prayed for, He can exceed your expectations. From the opening moments to the end, we experienced some incredible things. It was truly amazing!
PGM: Was there a particular song during the recording when you realized something special was happening?
Deveon Gross: Yes. One of those moments came during “Didn’t Have to Do It.” Frank McGee Jr., one of the group’s co-founders, wrote that song some time ago, when Young Men for Christ was just getting started. We decided to record it again for this project. When we performed it, God came in and had His way with that song. It was amazing to see how He can move when you allow Him to. The song really touched the people and ministered to their hearts and minds. We had an awesome time with it, and it became one of those moments that reminded us why we were there in the first place.
Collaborations That Unite Quartet Music
PGM: The album features collaborations, including Keisha Lockett on “Wait on G.” How did that collaboration come together?
Deveon Gross: When we started planning the recording, Frank McGee III, one of our co-founders, suggested bringing Keisha Lockett in from Chicago. He’s a spontaneous guy, and he wanted her to be part of the experience because we’d seen her perform with gospel singers in Chicago. She’s a powerful singer who knows how to take a song to another level, and we felt she would bring something special to the project. We also brought in Nate Martin, who did his thing on his song, and Lil’ Harry from Chicago. He’s an awesome guy and an incredible singer. Having those artists involved made the recording even more special. For me, the collaborations represented unity in quartet music. People have often compared Detroit quartet music with Chicago quartet music, sometimes treating them as if they were competing against each other. But on that day, Detroit and Chicago came together through Young Men for Christ. We showed that artists from different cities and musical backgrounds can unite, sing gospel music, and still lift up the name of Jesus. The collaborations were amazing, and if we did it again, we might bring in even more people.
Preserving Tradition While Reaching a New Generation
PGM: Young Men for Christ is preserving traditional quartet music while bringing a youthful sound to it. How do you balance the traditional sound longtime fans appreciate with musical influences that can attract younger listeners?
Deveon Gross: There’s one word I would give you: discernment. Discernment means knowing how to approach a song and a performance without someone having to tell you what to do. It comes from taking the time to study the music, perfect your craft and understand the tradition. Some of us eat, breathe and sleep quartet. We know it like the backs of our hands. You also have to understand your audience; what people like, what they don’t like, what to say and when to say it. You have to know what to do, when to do it and how to do it. Young Men for Christ has a good balance because several of us had the opportunity to perform with older groups before joining the group.
Eric Johnson Sr. and Frank McGee Jr. played with the Heavenly Stars for more than 20 years. Frank played keyboard, and Eric played drums. I also sang with my family group, the Stars of Faith, and with the Mighty Voices of Wonder. Those experiences taught us how to sing, how to perform and how to maintain the balance between tradition and what a particular audience needs. The older groups helped teach us, and we had to take those lessons with us. Ultimately, I believe discernment is the key.
PGM: We’re seeing more young groups embrace quartet music. Why do you think the style continues to connect with younger people?
Deveon Gross: People have said quartet music was dying, but I believe quartet is the foundation of gospel music. Think about our ancestors and grandmothers who were picking cotton. They didn’t have the praise-and-worship format we know today. Four or five people would get together and sing, and that kind of group singing is part of the tradition that developed into what we recognize as quartet. The sound is what draws people in—the drive of the music, the drums, the vocal arrangements, and the overall feeling. I tell people all the time that quartet can’t simply be taught; it has to be lived. It’s one thing to say you want to be a quartet singer, but it’s another thing to have grown up in that tradition. When you’ve lived it, you can feel it. You understand it differently. It’s like a baby that’s been born to you. You’re going to carry and care for that baby because it’s yours. Someone else can come along and learn to care for it, too, but there’s something special about having grown up with it and knowing its history. I believe younger people are drawn to quartet because it never really left. It’s part of the foundation of gospel music, and its sound continues to reach people.
Learning From Gospel Legends
PGM: You’ve shared the stage with artists such as the Canton Spirituals, Paul Porter, Rance Allen and Lisa Knowles-Smith. What have those experiences taught you?
Deveon Gross: Those experiences taught us that if you keep striving and let God lead you, you never know where He can take you or who He can place you before. The Bible speaks about God making your name great and placing you before great people. I believe there’s a difference between trying to force your own way into a room and allowing God to open the door. We’ve had opportunities to share the stage with incredible gospel artists. We’ve listened to them, learned from their experiences, and heard where they’ve been and what they’ve gone through. Some have even shared their thoughts about where they see us going. It has been an honor. Some of those artists have passed away, and I can look back now and appreciate the opportunity we had to share the stage with them. We were able to sit at the feet of people who had already traveled the road we were beginning to walk. Their wisdom and experiences gave us something valuable to carry forward.
Ministry Beyond the Music
PGM: Several group members are preachers and active in their churches. When the performance ends, and the lights go off, what does ministry look like for Young Men for Christ?
Deveon Gross: Ministry for us is an everyday commitment. I’m an active minister in the Church of God in Christ, and Antoine Alexander is also an active minister in the denomination. Eric Johnson Jr. is active in his church, and Eric Johnson Sr. serves at his church home, Galilee. Frank McGee Jr. is active in his church and plays the keyboard in Sacramento, California. Frank McGee III and Cordell Nelson are also active in their respective churches. For those of us who preach, ministry doesn’t stop when we leave the stage. We preach when we’re not singing, and we serve when we’re not singing. I’m also an active adjutant for my bishop, Bishop Ethan Sheard, the brother of Bishop J. Drew Sheard. I travel with them when I’m not traveling with Young Men for Christ. We each have responsibilities in our churches, but we understand ministry is bigger than music. We remain involved in our church communities and grounded in the Word of God. Singing is one way we minister, but it isn’t the only way.
PGM: With different personalities, opinions, and responsibilities in the group, what has kept the unity for so many years?
Deveon Gross: Our brotherhood and our understanding of one another have been important. Yes, we can argue, but in the end, we have to ask ourselves what the mission is and what the goal is. Does it make sense to allow an argument to break us apart? Does it make sense to let a disagreement split up what God has brought together? We’ve been through difficult seasons, and we’ve experienced loss. But if I had to point to one thing that has helped us stay together, it would be prayer. I always say that if you learn to trust God for what He has already said, there’s no reason to question His faithfulness. We may not always understand what we’re going through, but learning to trust God, maintaining our prayer lives, and understanding one another go a long way. That foundation has helped us remain united.
What Listeners Can Expect From the Album
PGM: What would you like listeners to take away as they experience the songs on Kept Through It All: Live in Detroit?
Deveon Gross: I encourage people to listen with expectation. Expect God to answer some of your prayers and speak to you through the music. These songs were written from the heart and reflect the testimonies and experiences we’ve lived through. Frank McGee III and our producer, Anthony Stanford, poured their hearts into the songs, and Antoine Alexander also contributed as a songwriter. That same commitment went into the music itself. We want people to listen with open hearts and expect God to speak through what they hear. Every song carries a message, and each one tells its own story. The songs reflect different experiences, different emotions, and different aspects of our journey. This isn’t simply a collection of music; it’s an experience. The title “Kept Through It All” speaks for the project because the songs tell stories of faith, perseverance, and God’s faithfulness. We want listeners to connect with those messages and find something in the music that speaks to their own lives.
What’s Next for Young Men for Christ?
PGM: Where can fans catch Young Men for Christ on the road in the coming months?
Deveon Gross: We’ll be at the Spin Awards on the 23rd and 24th of this month. We’ll also be in Atlanta, Georgia, on November 7 and we’ll return to Cleveland on November 14. We have several other dates coming up, so we’re looking forward to what’s ahead.
A Brotherhood Built on Faith
For Young Men for Christ, the journey behind Kept Through It All: Live in Detroit is inseparable from the faith that has sustained the group. Gross’ perspective on quartet music also offers insight into why the tradition keeps finding new audiences. For him, quartet is not simply a sound to reproduce; it is a musical heritage that must be experienced, understood, and passed on to the next generation.
Kept Through It All: Live in Detroit is available on all major digital outlets
You can connect with Young Men for Christ on their website, Facebook, and Instagram
