Press Kit

Cullah (born Ian McCullough on April 27, 1991 in Milwaukee, WI) is a multi-disciplinary artist, producer, songwriter, engineer, and entrepreneur who has been releasing an open-source album of music every year, since 2006, on April 27th.

His performance style varies in instrumentation and accompaniment. Referred to as “The Beck of Milwaukee,” Cullah explores a variety of musical styles. Backed by different ensembles, he may be found playing a folk set with a banjo and guitar or an electronic set with samplers and synths. No matter the instruments, Cullah’s voice comes through strongly — dynamic and captivating, deep and primal, passed on through generations.

Cullah describes his pull toward music as “not a choice” — a magnetic and constant presence, perhaps in his DNA. His grandfather Dick Wolff, orphaned at a young age, played fiddle in bars in Erin, Wisconsin to make just enough to eat that day. His mother Mary was one of seventeen children — eleven daughters, all named Mary, and six sons — who together formed The Wolff Family Band, the largest family band in American history.

Cullah’s artistry has a strong storytelling focus, exploring the deeper meanings behind myths and symbols rooted in the sacred inspiration of Awen, and in Jungian psychology, Gnosticism, Tolkienism, and philosophical topics.

In 2021, Cullah reached his milestone album ½ — half his life spent releasing music. He has distributed hundreds of songs and placed his music in 10,000+ productions for The Expendables 4, The North Face, The Modern Rogue, Channel 4, and video games like D.R.O.N.E The Game, Those Who Remain, and Car Mechanic Simulator 2018.

Cullah has been a pioneer of open licensing frameworks like Creative Commons and p2p networks for distribution and payment — a long-term advocate for structuring internet societies around open-source protocols and distributed networks of independent artists.