Story Behind The Song

Originally, I had considered naming the song Red River Valley, one of my father-in-law Steve's favorite tunes to sing and hum along to. But as the story behind the music unfolded, I realized this song needed its own name. Something personal. Something permanent. Redstone represents memory and meaning like markings carved into stone, these songs are etched into the foundation of who I am. They're more than melodies; they're emotional landmarks moments that stay with you long after the music fades. Passage speaks to the journey through time, through grief, and through the creative process. It reflects the passage of loved ones, the turning of seasons, and the inward path we walk when memory grows fragile. Some days, Steve couldn't remember names or places. But when we played the songs, he loved Folsom Prison Blues, King of the Road, or Red River Valley his eyes would light up. He'd tap his hand, hum along, and smile. Music never left him not even when everything else did. As I step back from the mic, and focus on the music and lyrics, I want to thank the incredible Fiverr team for their patience, artistry, and the many lyrical rewrites we worked through together. We debated everything even whether the song should end with the final chorus. But the vocals were so raw and powerful, so full of presence and release, that the song ended exactly the way I pictured my father-in-law's final moments: honest, peaceful, and held by the music. This track and the wider Redstone Passage project is the product of decades of music, memory, and studio work across Ontario. Some songs were born years ago and reimagined through love and loss. Others were sparked more recently, written in the quiet aftermath of saying goodbye to my mom, my dad, and my brother and through decades of lifelong learning while supporting students with special needs and mental health challenges. Whether you're an artist looking for something heartfelt to sing, or a listener seeking something real, I hope

Song Description

Passage speaks to the journey through time, through grief, and through the creative process. It reflects the passage of loved ones, the turning of seasons, and the inward path we walk when memory grows fragile. Some days, Steve couldn't remember names or places. But when we played the songs, he loved Folsom Prison Blues, King of the Road, or Red River Valley his eyes would light up. He'd tap his hand, hum along, and smile. Music never left him not even when everything else did.

Lyrics

Down Redstone Passage
Music & Lyrics by Joseph Vetro C2025 Socan/Ascap
Chorus
Down Redstone Passage
Where the melody remains
Where the soul becomes the singer
When the memory breaks its chains
If I'm drifting through the silence
Let your voice be what I find
Because the music still remembers
Even when I leave my mind

Verse 1
There's a hallway built from silence
Worn by voices long ago
Stone by stone, it carries echoes
Of the things we used to know
Each step rings like a memory
That never learned to fade
Some are sharp as broken laughter
Some are soft and unafraid
Verse 2
I don't remember yesterday
Or where I used to be
But something in your gentle voice
Still brings the world to me
A song I knew when I was young
Comes back like morning light
And in that fleeting moment
Everything feels right
Chorus
Down Redstone Passage
Where the melody remains
Where the soul becomes the singer
When the memory breaks its chains
If I'm drifting through the silence
Let your voice be what I find
Because the music still remembers
Even when I leave my mind
Instrumental Break 1
(Piano or acoustic guitar--quiet, intimate)
Verse 3
There's a chair beside the window
And a photo on the sill
I know I should remember
But the silence won't sit still
You hum a tune so patiently
And suddenly I know
That some part deep inside me
Still refuses to let go
Verse 4
The facts may slip like water
And the names may float away
But harmony is something
That the fog can't wash away
I may not say "I love you"
Or recall the reasons why
But music holds me gently
In a space no lie can lie
Chorus
Down Redstone Passage
Where the melody remains
Where the soul becomes the singer
When the memory breaks its chains
If I'm drifting through the silence
Let your voice be what I find
Because the music still remembers
Even when I leave my mind

Bridge
We lose so much to memory
But melody remains
It carries what the mind forgets
And sings through joy and pain
So if I seem far distant
Please don't turn away too soon
I'm still here in Redstone Passage
Humming softly to your tune
Verse 5
If I reach the final turning
And forget which way to go
Let the rhythm walk beside me
Let the melody still flow
Even if I lose the picture
Even if the words decay
I'll find you in the music
That never walks away

Outro
(Soft fade -- wordless vocal harmonies, like memory gently drifting out of reach)