By: Felicia Cooper

Juliana Carr is a singer/songwriter based in New Jersey after living in Brooklyn, NY, where she released her first record “To & Fro” (2013) and created, directed, produce, & performed “BLUE," a Joni Mitchell inspired piece involving paint & dance at the Living Gallery, BK (2016). Rolling Pepperoni asked her what Appalachia is to her.

Young Juliana swings at her grandfather's home in Pennsylvania. Photo by Carr family member

As part of Rolling Pepperoni’s journey to discover what exactly Appalachia means to the people that claim it, we asked Juliana to compose her own definition.

Appalachia is where the birds’ whistles wake you in the morning and train whistles lull you to sleep at night.

Appalachia is tree-covered mountains and calming streams, lakes for swimming, clouds for watching, stars for gazing, fireflies for snatching, bikes for riding up steep hills, tadpoles for catching barefoot in the creek.

Appalachia is gathering in stone houses built by grandfathers' hands, hiking through forests covered in wildflowers and moss, slurping grandma's warm soup on a cold day, swinging high on rope swings and tickling branches with wiggling toes.

Appalachia is freshly-baked bread, homegrown tomatoes, snap peas, sweet corn, tart cherry pie.

Appalachia is calloused hands and hearty laughs.

Appalachia is home.

The Ironweed Tales. Photo by Kitoko Chargois

Discover more at http://www.julianacarr.com