Creative Minds: Ben and Val, a couple turning a lifetime of music and community into a shared sound

Long before they became fixtures in Socorro’s music scene, Ben and Val Thomas were two young students discovering that their shared love of music would shape not only their creative lives, but the next quarter-century of their marriage.

Ben first picked up a guitar as a teenager, using it as an outlet long before he ever considered singing. Val grew up surrounded by vocalists, her father, a classically trained baritone from Chile, and generations of family members who sang in church groups. When the two met at UNM-Valencia, the connection was immediate.

“I liked to sing, he played guitar, and it just made sense,” Val said. “We figured out pretty early on that we wanted to stay together.”

They married young and wrote their first song in 2006, but it would be nearly a decade before they performed publicly. Their musical life began in earnest after they moved to Socorro in 2014, where open mics introduced them to the town’s tight‑knit creative community. They played alongside longtime locals, including members of the Cather family and Tyler Lam’s grandfather, and soon earned their first paid gig at the original Socorro Springs.

“We didn’t even have a sound system,” Val said. “Johnny Dean loaned us microphones, cables and amps so we could play that first show. That was 2016, and we’ve been doing it ever since.”

Today, the couple performs as a duo and as part of their full band, Fuzzy Logic, which includes drummer and visual artist Colleen Gino and a bassist who once taught Ben calculus at UNM. Ben also plays in multiple other groups, including the bluegrass outfit Fretwork Fables and Tom Fenton’s Rio Grande Voodoo Band, which leans into blues, funk and 1950s standards.

“If it’s fun, I’ll play it,” Ben said. “I’ve even been in a metal band. I just love music.”

Their range is wide, jazz standards, folk, indie, pop, and contemporary artists like Chappell Roan, and their performances mix originals with covers. They host the open mic at Box Canyon Brewery every other Thursday and perform regularly at the Capitol Bar, Box Canyon Brewery and community events, including the annual Socorro Fest.

The couple’s life outside music is just as full. Ben works as the hazardous materials and laboratory safety specialist at New Mexico Tech. Val serves as the university’s compliance officer, teaches sewing through community education and co-chairs the newly formed staff council. They homeschool their three children, now teenagers and young adults.

“We came back for a reason,” Val said. “This town is vibrant and safe. It’s accessible. People look out for each other. It’s worth investing in.”

Val is also preparing to run for mayor in 2027, motivated by a desire to bring new perspectives to local government.

“I’m not saying I know better than anyone,” she said. “I just think fresh ideas matter. This is a great town, and I want to help it grow.”

The pair hopes to record an album of original music, something fans have been requesting for years, but finding time has been difficult. They have enough material, and several local studio owners have offered to help, but both say they want to approach the project thoughtfully.

“I never want someone to work for free,” Val said. “People’s time matters. We’ve both worked service jobs. We know what that’s like.”

Still, momentum is building. Val recently recorded harmonies for local artist Terri Sunflower’s upcoming album, and the duo is scheduled to appear on New Mexico Entertainment’s statewide broadcast this April.

For Ben, the heart of their music remains the same as it was when they first met.

“Music is community,” he said. “It’s memory. It’s connection. We play what we love, and we play it together.”

And for Val, the town that welcomed them continues to shape their sound.

“You can’t throw a rock in Socorro without hitting a good musician,” she said. “It’s a wild mix of creativity, science, math, art, all of it. It’s beautiful. And we’re grateful to be part of it.”