A vivid folk vignette full of heartbreak, grit and quiet hope, “Steinbeck” captures a fictional life shaped by hard choices and changing seasons.
Lehigh Valley, PA (August 8, 2025) – With flugelhorns, sweeping strings and imagery straight out of a lost diary from the 1930s, singer-songwriter Kim Edwards releases “Steinbeck” today.
The new single paints a fictional portrait of one man’s journey through grief, love and the aching pursuit of a place to call home. The track leans into Edwards’ orchestral-folk sensibilities and narrative instincts, unfolding like a weathered novel passed down through generations.
Loosely inspired by John Steinbeck’s "The Grapes of Wrath," the track began with a seed of literary influence but quickly evolved into its own emotionally distinct narrative. It became a vignette of its own, representing a fictional character navigating the seasons of his life with grief, grit and growth.
"There's nothing autobiographical in it, other than the common experiences we all share of transitioning from one life season to the next," Kim said. "Sometimes they are transitions that have been thrust upon us, sometimes they are transitions birthed through growth, sometimes they are joyous, sometimes they are bittersweet," she continued.
"Steinbeck" cover art. Photography by Bruce Kite. Design by Victoria Strout.
Lyrically, the song is one of Edwards’ longest to date, chronicling a young man forced off his family land by the Dust Bowl who rides trains west, falls in love, and eventually returns to his roots, older and weathered but not without hope. The character’s voice carries each verse through grieving, leaving, loving, as the refrain echoes through the years.
Lyrics preview:
And he said, "O my home, I'm leavin', leavin', leavin'" / And he said, "O my heart is grievin', grievin', grievin'" / He gathered up all he owned / Headed west to the unknown
Musically, “Steinbeck” blends the grounded storytelling of The Lumineers with the cinematic scope of Mumford & Sons. Co-produced with longtime collaborator Jared Salte (Salt Shaker Studios), the arrangement features strings by Rob Szabo and a stunning horn section (flugelhorn and trumpet by Fletch Wiley and trombone by Phil Miller) that gives the instrumental bridge its emotional lift.
"What I love about Jared is his knack for understanding the vision from my demo or notes and his incredible ability to deliver above and beyond," said Kim. "He added the horn arrangement in the instrumental bridge, which gave the track an epic lift and helped to progress the story in a way that I had never imagined, but really love!"
“Steinbeck” marks a striking moment in the reveal of Edwards’ upcoming full-length album, Vignettes, a collection of reflective, cinematic songs that blend memory and imagination. While many of Edwards’ tracks are drawn from personal experience, “Steinbeck” shows another side of her artistry, that of a storyteller capable of inhabiting other lives and sketching whole worlds in song.
About Kim Edwards:
With a voice as intimate as a journal entry and melodies that echo like memory, Kim Edwards crafts cinematic, emotionally rich songs that feel both timeless and deeply personal. A Lehigh Valley, PA-based singer-songwriter with roots in classical piano and a love for storytelling-driven pop, Edwards writes vignettes—poetic snapshots of longing, love, and quiet resilience.
Over the years, Edwards has developed a signature sound: moody, melancholic, and lush with introspective nuance. Inspired by the likes of Ingrid Michaelson, Regina Spektor, and Sleeping At Last, she blends lyrical vulnerability with orchestral textures often drawing comparisons to her influences while carving out a sonic world uniquely her own. Her songs have found homes in branded content for Chaco Shoes, Paraxel, and Disney Weddings, and her cover of “Auld Lang Syne” garnered over 150K Spotify streams after landing a spot on the platform’s Folksy Christmas playlist. In 2013, she was selected from hundreds of applicants for ASCAP’s prestigious Jerry Ragovoy Songwriters Workshop in NYC, has performed twice at Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA, and in storied venues like The Bitter End, Eddie’s Attic, and Bluebird Cafe.
Among her most meaningful career moments, Kim had the rare honor of opening for The Beach Boys—a lifelong dream realized for the devoted fan—and also shared a stage with Jars of Clay at a local festival. These highlights underscore her steady dedication to her craft and the quiet authenticity that resonates through her music.
Edwards is embracing music on her own terms. Her forthcoming album, Vignettes, is the most personal and fully realized project of her career. Co-produced by Jared Salte, the album serves as a dream fulfilled: “Each song has its own special place in my heart,” she says. “There’s not a single filler.”
Now a mother and entering into a reflective new chapter, Kim Edwards stands as a reminder that in a world obsessed with virality and speed, artistry rooted in depth, patience, and honesty endures. Her music offers a quiet refuge for the reflective listener—those seeking comfort, catharsis, or simply the feeling of being seen.