Fringe members of The Elephant 6 Recording Company, and the only band to officially release a full-length on the label, Beulah originally formed in San Francisco in 1996 when mail-room colleagues Miles Kurosky (main songwriter, lead vocals, guitar), and Bill Swan (trumpet, guitar, vocals) got together to make music. Together they recorded a 7", A Small Cattle Drive in a Snow Storm, released in 1997. The same year, Anne Mellinger joined the band and their debut LP, Handsome Western States was released on Elephant 6. The three were subsequently joined by Steve LaFolette (bass & vocals), Pat Noel (keyboards & guitar), Steve St.