From far in the mountain ranges, a sound has traveled all across the country and has helped bridge generational gaps — it is a sound that will be coming to Eastern.

Allen Lanham, the dean of library services, said bluegrass music is a genre based on the formation of tunes.

“You wouldn’t be able to read the music back when it first started,” he said. “But instead you would learn by hearing the music note for note.”

The genre of bluegrass will be showcased during the next segment of “America’s Music” at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Lecture Hall of the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

A live performance featuring bluegrass musicians will be featured during the segment.

Among the performers are Corey St. Michael, Wally Carlson, Mark Esarey and Patricia Poulter.

Along with the performance, Poulter will also be leading a film screening and discussion.

“High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass Music” will center around Bill Monroe, who coined the term “high lonesome sound” to describe bluegrass.

Lanham said bluegrass music was a generational sound.

“It’s very age-driven,” he said.

Lanham also said the genre’s age-appeal was influenced by TV during the 1960s.

He also mentioned that bluegrass would be featured on both local and national shows.

“Bluegrass musicians were always on television,” Lanham said. “Especially at the beginning of ‘Grand Ole Opry.’”

He also said one aspect of bluegrass’ unique style comes from the instruments.

“You can really make anything an instrument,” Lanham said. “They would use a comb and paper and the vibrations would sound like a kazoo.”

Spoons, boxes and pottery jugs are also used to produce a bluegrass sound, he said.

The culture of bluegrass was also unique, Lanham said.

“Most of these people couldn’t read, but they would pick up an instrument, and it would be like lightning from a fiddle,” he said.

Musicians playing bluegrass also would not play for a profit but instead for self-indulgence, Lanham said.

“They would play for themselves, and people would stop to listen as they filled the night with music,” he said.

Tuesday will not be the first time bluegrass musicians have played at Eastern.

During the opening concert for “America’s Music,” the local band Flat Mountain performed.

“There are so many musicians playing bluegrass, even around here,” Lanham said.

He also said bluegrass music made an effect because of the way the lyrics and music meshed.

“It would be a slow melody in the voice, and behind them the instruments would just be going nuts,” Lanham said.

Bob Galuski can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].