In 2007, a fire on Sutton's property in Parrottsville led to firefighters discovering 650 gallons of untaxed alcohol there, for which he was convicted and put on probation again by Cocke County authorities. However, in what has become a Sutton civil war, Regina and her supporters, including Popcorns former girlfriend Ernestine Upchurch, are fighting to get his remains back to his empty grave at the Bend of the River and reclaim his brand name. Inspired by the story, Grosser suggested they partner on a distillery and sell Popcorns moonshine legally. , Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, The Dangers Of Popcorn Lung: E-Cigarette Use Linked To Fatal Respiratory Illness, How To Prepare Your Airless Sprayer For Spraying Popcorn Ceilings, Adding Subtitles To A Movie On Popcorn Time, Popcorners: A Healthier Alternative To Traditional Snacks, Hoyts Offers Delicious Gluten-Free Popcorn For Movie-Goers With Dietary Restrictions, Sorghum Popcorn: A Delicious And Healthy Snack, The Shulmans Skinny Popcorn Is A Healthier Alternative To Traditional Popcorn, How Much Salt In Orville Redenbacker Popcorn. He often bragged that he ran more whiskey than Jack Daniel. He detailed his brew-making exploits in the book Me and My Likker, and in a self-produced video The Last Run of Likker Ill Ever Make. Hes even been known to autograph Mason jars of moonshine. Stills are known to do that, despite Popcorns expert craftsmanship in making them. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. He was also known for being convicted of crimes related to moonshining and illegal firearm possession. Pam creates handmade art glass and jewelry. Would loved to have known Popcorn. His most recent conviction for selling over 650 gallons of moonshine resulted in him being placed on probation. [8][15] Sutton next appeared in another Hutcheson film that would become the cornerstone of his notoriety, called This is the Last Dam Run of Likker I'll Ever Make. The pulley consists of two ropes attached to a pair of Timberland boots, so that Pams legs could be more easily hoisted in the air. "He tried every way in the world to get them (federal authorities) to leave him on house arrest," she said. While Sutton made his career out of this illegal trade, his rise to massive fame didnt happen until he was about 60 years old. [7] He said he had considered a harsher sentence of 24 months, but had decided on 18 months after considering Sutton's age and medical condition. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. She even went so far as to testify on his behalf at his sentencing hearing. This Diner had postcards of him for sale next to the cash register . , Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, The Dangers Of Popcorn Lung: E-Cigarette Use Linked To Fatal Respiratory Illness, How To Prepare Your Airless Sprayer For Spraying Popcorn Ceilings, Adding Subtitles To A Movie On Popcorn Time, Popcorners: A Healthier Alternative To Traditional Snacks, Hoyts Offers Delicious Gluten-Free Popcorn For Movie-Goers With Dietary Restrictions, Sorghum Popcorn: A Delicious And Healthy Snack, The Shulmans Skinny Popcorn Is A Healthier Alternative To Traditional Popcorn, How Much Salt In Orville Redenbacker Popcorn. I can relate to that, as I am the same way. As he once said, I dont bother nobody and nobody better damn sure not mess with me. But how well do you really know the legend of Popcorn Sutton? Famed Appalachian moonshiner Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton, whose incorrigible bootlegging ways were out of step with modern times, took his own life rather than go to prison, his widow says. Though Popcorn left no suicide note, his dramatic exit has transformed him into a martyr for his cause and solidified his legacy as the little guy whod rather die than let the Feds beat him. He came from a long line of moonshiners, so bootlegging and moonshining have been his calling since he arrived on Earth. In addition to serving probation after being caught with over 650 gallons of moonshine, he was also convicted of selling alcohol without a license. I enjoyed watching his video it was entertaining to watch this man a Legend from the past a way of life how he fed and took care of his family. My mother-in-law Pam Sutton suffered a massive stroke on 9/15/22. Filmed in one week in June, 2002, less than seven years before infamous moonshiner Marvin, People have been making moonshine almost since the day water started running downhill,, Attendees of this years Hillbilly Winter Jam kicked off the annual fest with a special, On a frosty Appalachian mountain morning in 1962, 22-year-old Waynesville man Charles. Sutton was convicted of tax evasion after his property was damaged by fire in 2007. Even though technically he wasn't a member of "Moonshiners," his life and work inspired the series, which later kept his memory alive throughout its run. She was one of six children born to a sharecropper and a housewife. His wife, Pam Sutton, whom he married just two years prior, had returned from running errands when she found him. IE 11 is not supported. From that moment on, the locals called him Popcorna reminder that this was one moonshiner you didnt want to cross. Moonshiners distillers JB and Bill from Connelly Springs, NC, are now teaching their distilling techniques in both states. Popcorn has never been secretive about his tendency for making moonshine. Marvin " Popcorn " Sutton (October 5, 1946 - March 16, 2009) was an American Appalachian moonshiner and bootlegger. So credit the federal government for my husband being dead, I really do," Pam Sutton told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday from the couple's home in the Parrottsville community, about 50 miles east of Knoxville. It took his money, but didnt produce popcorn, eliciting a few swift blows from Sutton to crack open the machine. [38], In 2014, Popcorn Sutton Distilling opened a new distillery in Newport, Tennessee, the county seat of Cocke County. But this wasnt Santa Clausit was the towns most notorious outlaw, Popcorn Sutton, and he was passing out his annual present: a shiny silver dollar for each cop on the force. However, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) raided the spots. Her family includes her husband Dean Sutton of 39 years, son Ian Sutton, daughter Bess Wimer, brother LaRue Breasette, Sister Brenda Oswald, and son Rick Oswald. His first appearance in a feature film (that was not self-published) was in Neal Hutcheson's 2002 documentary, Mountain Talk, as one of various people of southern Appalachia featured in this film focused on the "mountain dialect" of the area. [37], In March 2015, it was announced that John Lunn, who had until then been master distiller of George Dickel Tennessee whiskey since 2005, would be joining Popcorn Sutton Distilling as its new master distiller. Joe and Pam were not present for Kobe's final NBA game, nor were they in attendance for his jersey retirement ceremony in 2017. The story of the life of Popcorn Sutton shows that Americans are still not really free! Although he passed away a few years before the show premiered, the series used previous documentary footage shot by director Neal Hutcheson for his own films, allowing fans to see the legendary moonshiner in his natural habitat. So he Wooped the hell out of it with a pool stick. The boy's mother's boyfriend has admitted to beating the child and is expected to face additional charges Sutton also produced a home video of the same name, which he released on VHS tape. Is Pam Sutton Still Alive Photo by - wp On December 1, 2021, a long illness claimed the life of a dear friend. In addition to being a wife and mother, Pam also worked as a waitress and a cook to help make ends meet. His fate would be sealed in that manner. Later that day his wife came home from work to find him dead. "All the rest of them that I know are dead," Sutton said in the profane, not-for-primetime clip. Sutton, an infamous moonshiner, had been trying to outrun revenuers for more than three decades now. No bootlegger, however, would become as enigmatic as Popcorn. Since his death, Popcorn's persona and work have only garnered more attention due to a whiskey company named after him, Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey, and as we said before, his posthumous appearances on Moonshiners. My favorite place of hanging out, how not the kitchen! Suttons money has been used to fund the production of moonshine and to support the people who make it. [7], Sutton died by suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning on March 16, 2009, apparently to avoid a federal prison term due to begin a few days later. The fire tipped authorities off that Popcorn was still at it, and wasnt merely producing the occasionall jar here and there but cranking out hundreds of gallons. Pam was diagnosed with Stage 3 Bowel Cancer in January 2014. The man behind the raid was one of the countrys most infamous ATF agents, James Cavanaugh (a fellow Tennessean, who became known for leading the Waco and Unabomber raids), and he vowed to take Popcorn down. At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. One night I sit outside the Cocke County fire station, near Popcorns home in Parrotsville, Tennessee, swigging apricot moonshine with the fire chiefs stout, gray-haired wife. He gained fame as a moonshiner and bootlegger in the United States at a time when illicit businesses were the norm. We have a lot of people come to Maggie Valley that want to meet Popcorn.. Pamela Sutton We found 100+ records for Pamela Sutton in NY, MI and 41 other states. If you are going to produce moonshine, you must carefully follow his recipe and instructions. P.O. Sutton appeared in several documentaries including This is the Last Dam Run of Likker Ill Ever Make (featured below). Beside his grave is a marker that reads, Popcorn said [f] you.. . When Popcorn Sutton was sentenced to jail in 2009 for moonshining, Pam stood by her husband. Monday, April 25, 2022 New Haven, CT (April 25, 2022) - After an extensive search, Yale New Haven Health (YNHHS) today announced that Pamela M. Sutton-Wallace, MPH, has been selected as its chief operating officer (COO), effective July 11, 2022. Following this, he featured in another of Neal's documentaries, titled 'This Is the Last Dam Run of Likker I'll Ever Make,' which was a cult classic of the time and eventually caught the attention of many TV producers in Boston and New York. I sounded like absinthe. Popcorns stuff wasnt just cleanit was so tasty that locals treasure their last mason jars of it to this day. Popcorn told him he sold that much all the time and, after bragging about his whiskey and his guns, sent the man away with 80 gallons of his own. His estranged daughter Sky Sutton, 35, of Northampton, Mass., had just completed a book about him, titled "Daddy Moonshine," the day he died. To distinguish himself from the competition, he took pride in quality. The net worth of Andy Sutton is unknown, but some sources claim that he was worth as much as $13 million when he died in 1993. [23], A conventional grave marker was used at the head of Sutton's grave, reading "Marvin Popcorn Sutton / Ex-Moonshiner / October 5, 1946 / March 16, 2009". View the profiles of people named Pamela Sutton. Popcorns attire rarely varied: overalls, a flannel shirt and gray brimmed hat, occasionally adorned with a squirrel tail. Bills organizing of the Moonshiners Reunion and Mountain Music Festival will continue, and he will perform at R.J. Rockers Brewery in honor of his music and life. Knoxville marveled at the wood-burned sign over the bedroom doorway inside that read this is a watch yourself fuck and eat pussy bedroom. Popcorns homemade cunnilingus contraption hangs in the doorway to this day, as I see when his widow, Pam Sutton, a heavyset, short-haired woman in a sleeveless brown shirt and jean shorts, gives me a tour of the cabin her husband built by hand. Sky Moonshine, the estranged daughter of Sutton, published Daddy: The Story of Marvin Popcorn Sutton. While unscrupulous moonshiners distilled their booze through antifreeze-caked radiator pipes (capable of killing a drinker), Popcorn used only new copper tubing. Small batches of this alcohol are typically made and can contain 40 to 80 percent alcohol by volume. Concepts LLC and Pam Sutton, the widow of Hank Williams, to create a line of whiskey named after her. With all his knowledge about shine and his love for animals, especially cats, that makes him number one in my book. pic.twitter.com/V7dUdlJWQ8. Lunn and Henley and the other employees of the distillery became employees of the Sazerac Company. He was a moonshine maker as well as Popcorn Sutton Moonshines creator, collaborating with his father. Sutton, an infamous moonshiner, had been trying to outrun revenuers for more than three decades now. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us. His mind would just not accept it. It was Popcorns daddy, Vader, who taught him how to make and run the moonshine as deftly as the Suttons before him. gotta love popcorns sarcastic wit. To Grosser it seemed less like a sellout than the last swift move of a sharp entrepreneur. However, since he was diagnosed with cancer, Sutton requested US District Judge Ronnie Greer to grant him house arrest instead of sending him to prison. Sutton Popcorn Company retains their original use of this name. But while the cops may not have pursued his bootlegging aggressively, Popcorn got himself in hot water nonetheless. The company that sold Popcorn Sutton branded products, on the other hand, continues to sell them directly to consumers. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. 'It was beyond surreal'When he pleaded guilty, it was his fifth conviction. Pam Sutton had that steadfast determination and through her incredible penmanship, we can still see just how fast and who won and who . They were not invited. Popcorn was unique. At a time when moonshining and bootlegging were considered illicit in the United States, Sutton established his empire with just one barrel. As Popcorn once bragged, Im the only man I know of around here thats got a two-inch dick and a six-inch tongue and knows how to use both of em.[pagebreak] "Those factors gave Marvin the strength to die the way he lived: according to his own wishes and no one else's," she stated. Popcorn Sutton, an American moonshiner and bootlegger, lived in the United States from 1946 to 2009. While we do our best to bring you the most up-to-date information, TheSmokies.com LLC makes no warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of any content contained within. Pam Sutton was born in 1951 in the small town of Maggie Valley, North Carolina. He used the freshest white corn for his mash and the coldest, cleanest stream water. He was walking down the driveway coming toward me and told me, Hey, hey, hey, dont tell nobody what you seen here, Fontes recalls. [2023], Is the Laurel Falls Hike Easy? hates you. Months before his conviction, Sutton reportedly had a mental breakdown after being diagnosed with cancer. Whiskey is a great beverage to try if youre looking for something different. Did you know anything about Popcorn Sutton that we missed? His archive footages were featured in the 2016 docuseries 'Moonshiners.'. Aside from his white lightening, Popcorn was known for his crass language and feisty manner. Is Pam Sutton Still Alive USA Distributor of MCM Equipment is pam sutton still alive He was well-known in the entertainment industry for his stage name and custom copper stills, and he made a name for himself. He always lived a death-before-dishonor kind of life." Additionally, Sutton had had a mental breakdown after being diagnosed with cancer. Per NBC News, the famed moonshiner and bootlegger Popcorn Sutton died by suicide, possibly to avoid serving time in federal prison. He was just a skinny little farmer-looking guy who would come around and talk and cut up, he explains. He was quite a Character. He wore a long gray beard, faded overalls, checkered shirt and feathered fedora. ", Popcorn's death remains a topic of discussion this year, as another supporter said, "Remember the Feds killed Popcorn Sutton just because he made his own whiskey on his own land. Damian Sutton, 2, has died at a Detroit hospital after being taken off life support. I met him once at his little shack in Cherokee. We dont plan to change that model. He committed suicide in 2009 as a result of cancer treatment. As of 2022, she has not appeared in the media for a long time. As a popcorn treat, a pound of moonshine is served. He wasn't just a poor old moonshiner trying to make a few dollars.". Pam Sutton married Popcorn Sutton just two years before his death in 2007. His white lightning wasnt just potent and sweetit was illegal. In this article we'll look back at her success and reveal what comes next for the hard-working Black actress. Bell Mary. Popcorn began making whiskey in his youth near what he called the Bend of the River, a leafy spot where, decades later, his empty grave would sit. American moonshiner and bootlegger (19462009), "New Movie Focuses on WNC Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton", "Yesterday's Moonshiner, Today's Microdistiller", "Legendary Tennessee Moonshiner Plied His Trade to the End", "Widow: Moonshiner took his life to avoid prison", "Family of legendary moonshiner hoped his sentence would be reduced", "The Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton | IndieBound.org", "Golden Moment: Bulletin: NC State University", "Cane In Hand, 'Popcorn' Sutton Is Sentenced To 18 Months", United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, "Waco 20 Years Later: The ATF Raid - Dallas News | myFOXdfw.com", "Daughter says independence likely led to moonshiner's suicide", "Estranged daughter remembers 'Popcorn' Sutton", "Hundreds honor memory of legendary moonshiner", "6 surprising facts about Popcorn Sutton and his moonshine", "16th Annual Winners | National Indie Excellence Awards | California", "Hank Williams, Jr. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786 828.452.4251. In 2017, Sutton's Parrottsville estate caught fire. After meeting at a New Year's Eve party in 1994 . Sutton began his moonshining and bootlegging empire with just one barrel, that too, at a time when they were considered illicit businesses in the US. Dean Sutton of 39 years and his wife, Christine Sutton; their son, Ian; mother, Bessie Wimer; and sister,Brenda Oswald, all of whom preceded her in death, are among those who have passed away. Copyright 2023 Distractify. This charge would eventually cause him to fall. Someone of means is going to have to step up. On November 9, 2010, Hank Williams Jr. announced his partnership with J&M Concepts LLC and widow Pam Sutton to distill and distribute a brand of whiskey named after Sutton that was asserted to follow his legacy. The grave of the last American outlaw sits off a dirt road in the backwoods of Maggie Valley, North Carolina, the hillbilly haven where Marvin Popcorn Sutton, the most notorious moonshiner ever, lived and died in the wildest of ways. Grosser was just like any other fanboy whod come to meet the living legend and buy some hooch. That's a big problem because now look where we're at. He also had a coffin ready in his living room. Now known as one of Britain's finest detectives and police officers, Sutton actually comes from a long line of coppers. Pamela Anderson is alive and well. My deputies wouldnt bother him, Moore, a clean-cut retiree in a pink polo shirt, tells me. He made his home in Cocke County, where cockfighting and moonshining are legend. 33 Years old foodie & cookie lover. He will continue to teach distilling techniques to distillers in North Carolina, as well as his music, which will be featured at both the moonshiners reunion and the Mountain Music Festival. An hour after Grosser left the cabin with his paperwork, Popcorn built his final contraption. He made his first film appearance in 2002, with Neal Hutcheson's documentary 'Mountain Talk.' His wife Pam, whom he had married about two years before his death,[11][14] returned home from running errands and discovered her husband in his green Ford Fairmont (which was still running) at the rear of their property in Parrottsville, Tennessee. He was placed on probation. When he was sentenced to federal prison for possession of illegal firearms and moonshining, he chose to commit suicide rather than report to prison, at the age of 62. Every time Sutton finished filling a barrel, he would give Nick a gallon and sell the rest to him. It is also critical to use the proper amount of sugar in each batch of moonshine to make it safe to drink. "He was a true moonshiner," his widow added. Read Also: Is Moonshiners real? He was selling some stuff. Two of Suttons other documentaries, 'Popcorn Sutton: A Hell of a Life' and 'Squzz Corn N' Ole Scratch' (short), were released in 2014 and 2012, respectively, after his death. As a result, the judge had reason to show him leniency. His daughter claimed that he had told her in advance that he would kill himself rather than go to jail. Showed how to make moonshineHe wrote a paperback called "Me and My Likker" and recorded videos on how to make moonshine. Making moonshine is relatively simple and inexpensive if you have a pot that can hold at least 5 gallons of liquid and enough space to store the finished product. After he attacked a popcorn vending machine with a pool cue in the 1960s or 1970s, he was dubbed Popcorn by the media. 33 Years old foodie & cookie lover. In 2009, an accidental carbon monoxide overdose claimed the life of the actor. He honed the perfection of the craft, much like his father and grandfather had before him. Crime, whiskey & homemade sex machines: The life, death and legacy of Popcorn Sutton, Americas greatest moonshiner. Furthermore, many of these moonshine stills are hidden in rural areas, allowing visitors to experience the moonshine culture in these states. after being convicted of offenses related to moonshining and illegal firearm possession. The epitaph on his footstone reads "Popcorn Said Fuck You".[14][25]. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. But Popcorn, who seemed unusually sullen to Grosser, had other plans. To make a 5 gallon batch of moonshine, 201 pounds of corn must be used. She added that the prison sentence and a cancer diagnosis might have had influenced his decision. According to the Internal Revenue Service, the estate of Kate Sutton is valued at around $500 thousand. His health was failing. Sutton said he considered moonshine production a legitimate part of his heritage, as he was a Scots-Irish American and descended from a long line of moonshiners. Made a still for a museumJohn Rice Irwin, founder of the Museum of Appalachia in Norris, Tenn., recalled that Sutton made a still for the museum in the 1990s. In 2009, Sutton's estranged daughter Sky published a book titled 'Daddy Moonshine: The Story of Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton,' which gave a lot of details about her father's life. In a final twist, she can now make her papas booze in Tennessee legally if she wantsthe state passed a law shortly after his death authorizing moonshine production. When the sugar content of the spirit is too high, the sugar content of the spirit will be too sweet, while too little sugar will cause the spirit to ferment poorly. He went to his grave in a pine casket he bought years ago and kept in a bedroom. Sutton was found at the age of 62 in his parked green Ford Fairmont with the engine running. Pam St. Clement was born on May 21, 1942 and is 80 years old now. When the federal government tried to tax the stuff in the late 1700s, the mountainside distillers violently fought back in what became known as the Whiskey Rebellion. His parents lived in a wooden house in a mountain perched beside a tumbling stream. This time, the local cops would be of no help. When Popcorn Sutton died in 2009, he left behind a large sum of money. Clearly, the actress is still alive and well today, and she's been in remission for the . [3] In the 1960s or 1970s, Sutton was given the nickname of "Popcorn" after his frustrated attack on a bar's faulty popcorn vending machine with a pool cue. Sutton conceded he was part of a dying breed in an interview last year with actor Johnny Knoxville for a video posted on Knoxville's "Jackass" Web site. Despite being on probation, Popcorn defiantly refused to give up his trade. The states with the most moonshiners, on the other hand, are not among the top five for per capita moonshine production. Offers may be subject to change without notice. But with thousands of people, including then-Gov. The grave of the last American outlaw sits off a dirt road in the backwoods of Maggie Valley, North Carolina, the hillbilly haven where Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton, the most notorious moonshiner. He received a five-year sentence. Autopsy results may be weeks away. He was a short, skinny fella, who always wore his hat that was kind of his claim to fame, his hat that he always wore. Sutton followed her husband to coaching stops at College of Southern Idaho, Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky and . Fontes hadnt anticipated adding to Popcorns criminal record until April 24, 2007, when he spotted smoke billowing up from the woods. Authorities began to investigate him without his consent. They should have been focused on crimes that out weighed hi. In December 2016, Popcorn Sutton Distillery was sold to the alcoholic beverage company 'Sazerac Company.'. Born In: Maggie Valley, North Carolina, United States, place of death: Parrottsville, Tennessee, United States, See the events in life of Popcorn Sutton in Chronological Order, (American Appalachian Moonshiner and Bootlegger), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tyS_HvhtyU&list=PLHk8dXrmYkn-hhIVi9dwmgJzD4v1sr35c&index=2, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13PsE_rQ74k, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohiSPSoG8tY, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glQjCKAI4gA, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfUDVqWMhWs&list=FL8CkDIqZ9eTNus6-gghDO_w&index=24. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. The book also offers a better understanding of how the people of the region survived. A small memorial was also held for close friends and family. But this shit right here goes right back to the crooked shit that's been going on before I was born. What did his Mom put in the moonshine to make medicine, that Popcorn got addicted to?
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