Popcorn Sutton was married to Pam Sutton. He published the book at his junk shop in Maggie Valley. [12][13]) At around the same time, Sutton produced a home video of the same title and released it on VHS tape. Throughout his life, Sutton proudly held on to his Scotch-Irish American ethnicity and boasted about the fact that he had moonshining in his blood. At a time when moonshining and bootlegging were considered illicit in the United States, Sutton established his empire with just one barrel. As industrious about marketing his booze as he was about making it, Popcorn spent decades traveling the South, stealthily pawning jars from the back of his vintage rides. There were so many doctors just jotting shit down on a piece of paper making herion legal in a pill form and they already new this. My favorite place of hanging out, how not the kitchen! [38], In 2014, Popcorn Sutton Distilling opened a new distillery in Newport, Tennessee, the county seat of Cocke County. My deputies wouldnt bother him, Moore, a clean-cut retiree in a pink polo shirt, tells me. So its no surprise that the law eventually caught up with him. by Loyola Martinez | Feb 25, 2023 | Popcorn. After meeting at a New Year's Eve party in 1994 . Fans Want to Know Why 'Moonshiners' Star Tickle Was in Jail Again! 1. Editors Note: Many thanks to Sucker Punch Pictures for allowing us to use their incredible photos of Popcorn Sutton and his still for this article. Pam was a loving wife and mother who was always there for her family. Image Credit Birthday: October 5, 1946 ( Libra) Born In: Maggie Valley, North Carolina, United States 56 22 Writers #2968 Criminals #316 Quick Facts Also Known As: Marvin Sutton Died At Age: 62 Family: According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, she and her father spoke on the phone occasionally. When I heard how Popcorn was treated and that he wanted me to be involved in carrying on his legacy, I was immediately in. The couple had been married for 25 years and had three children together. View Pam Sutton results including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. The exact amount is unknown, but it is thought to be in the millions. Whether people associate his name with criminal or star, no one can deny he's one of the only Cocke County, Tenn., residents to rise to fame. He had a wood burning stove inside. Pamela M. Sutton-Wallace serves as Director of the Company. Pam was diagnosed with Stage 3 Bowel Cancer in January 2014. Per NBC News, the famed moonshiner and bootlegger Popcorn Sutton died by suicide, possibly to avoid serving time in federal prison. Popcorn Sutton grew up in the South-Eastern Appalachian region of the United States, and he was born in Scotland. A few hours earlier she had buried Sutton, 62, in a private ceremony in the mountains around Haywood County, N.C., where he grew up. But so did the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, who launched a full-scale investigation, including undercover agents that struck deals to buy large quantities of moonshine from him. The outlaw spirit soared during Prohibition, when demand for moonshine exploded and bootlegging familieslike NASCAR racer Junior Johnsons and the brothers in this falls Lawlessbecame revered. One year later, while still on probation from the previous charge, an undercover agent working for the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission discovered 500 gallons of moonshine being housed and produced by Sutton. Pam St. Clement was born on May 21, 1942 and is 80 years old now. "He did it his way. Pam Sutton had that steadfast determination and through her incredible penmanship, we can still see just how fast and who won and who . Popcorn Suttons wife, Pam, died in 2009 after a long battle with cancer. Popcorns wife used both original bottles and they are currently available for eBay purchase. After he attacked a popcorn vending machine with a pool cue in the 1960s or 1970s, he was dubbed Popcorn by the media. It is impossible to overstate the importance of the life and persona of Marvin Popcorn Sutton, a legendary moonshiner and North Carolina native who died in an automobile accident. Sutton Popcorn Company retains their original use of this name. He was convicted in 1974 of selling untaxed liquor[3][7] and in 1981 and 1985 on charges of possessing controlled substances and assault with a deadly weapon, but received only probation sentences until the 1985 arrest, after which he served time in the Craggy Correctional Center in Asheville. Pam Sutton married Popcorn Sutton just two years before his death in 2007. They dated for a month before getting married. After Popcorn Suttons death in 2009, Pam Sutton took over the family business and has continued to produce moonshine using her husbands recipes and methods. Neal Hutcheson, another filmmaker who worked with Sutton, is worth $30 million. After separating from his second wife Heather Locklear, Tommy met Pam and the two fell hard and fast. He committed suicide in 2009 as a result of cancer treatment. He was a moonshiner and bootlegger from the United States Appalachian region. However, Sutton continued producing liquor barrels, and the business eventually grew more prominent. One of Popcorns closest and oldest friends was the countys most legendary sheriff, Tooney Moore, who shared his conviction that moonshine was an important part of the local heritage. Bill, who played guitar and harmonica on the show, died in early 2019 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786 828.452.4251. "She's stiff as a board. [8][16][17], In March 2008, Sutton told an undercover federal officer that he had 500 gallons of moonshine in Tennessee and another 400 gallons in Maggie Valley that he was ready to sell. In December 2016, Popcorn Sutton Distillery was sold to the alcoholic beverage company 'Sazerac Company.'. He ran a PVC pipe from the exhaust of his Ford Fairlane into his window and sealed it up with duct tape. Joe and Pam were not present for Kobe's final NBA game, nor were they in attendance for his jersey retirement ceremony in 2017. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months of federal imprisonment. He wore a long gray beard, faded overalls, checkered shirt and feathered fedora. Bell Mary. Is Pam Sutton Still Alive Photo by - wp On December 1, 2021, a long illness claimed the life of a dear friend. I can relate to that, as I am the same way. At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. They should have been focused on crimes that out weighed hi. Is Pam St. Clement Dead or Still Alive? But he was also the sweetest, kindest, most loving man I ever met in my life.". He received a five-year sentence. after being convicted of offenses related to moonshining and illegal firearm possession. Sutton was arrested by an undercover police officer in 2008 after he admitted to storing large amounts of illegal alcohol in another location. In March 2009, Sutton, 62, died of carbon monoxide poisoning. At several points in my interviews, people would slip away and return with dusty jugs of Popcorns concoctions. is pam sutton still alive. When she was just sixteen, Pam married Popcorn Sutton, a man eighteen years her senior. The federal govt. Sutton, an infamous moonshiner, had been trying to outrun revenuers for more than three decades now. Popcorn has never been secretive about his tendency for making moonshine. Many moonshiners associate Popcorn Sutton with moonshine. Showed how to make moonshineHe wrote a paperback called "Me and My Likker" and recorded videos on how to make moonshine. Irwin told Sutton to run nothing but water through it. hates you. Fermented corn mash is used to make moonshine. But the truth is, moonshine is a dangerous health issue and breeds other crime. All rights reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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. Fontes hadnt anticipated adding to Popcorns criminal record until April 24, 2007, when he spotted smoke billowing up from the woods. He always lived a death-before-dishonor kind of life." 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. On the day of his death, a fan wrote on Twitter, "Toasting the passing of the famous moonshiner Popcorn Sutton. Damian Sutton, 2, has died at a Detroit hospital after being taken off life support. [8][9] In 1998 his roadside store in Maggie Valley, NC was searched by state agents, who seized a moonshine still and sixty gallons of moonshine, and Sutton was again placed on probation with a suspended sentence. As of 2022, she has not appeared in the media for a long time. The states with the most moonshiners, on the other hand, are not among the top five for per capita moonshine production. His widow, Pam, told the outlet that he'd just received a letter to report to prison for an 18-month sentence for illegally distilling spirits, as well as felony possession of a firearm. Making likker. "Nobody was going to tell him what to do," Sky told Knox News in 2009. I bought a couple items and he talked to me. Through it all, there was just one thing that guided him: his likker (as he liked to spell it). I was wondering if it was the last time the still was going to ever be use, why did they take the time, and hard work to break it down? This is likely the event that spurred the internets 1983 search. 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. Then he cut on the engine and leaned back in his seat. Sutton was found at the age of 62 in his parked green Ford Fairmont with the engine running. In Maggie Valley, he opened an antique shop as a front, soon a destination for eager buyers from across the region. His wife, Pam Sutton, whom he married just two years prior, had returned from running errands when she found him. However, most believe it was either due to vandalism of the original site or a family dispute with his widow. Popcorn Sutton married Pam Sutton in 2007 just two years prior to his death. In fact, he came from a long line of bootleggers. Moreover, she is also not on social media which makes it further difficult to track down her life at present. He apparently got right back to work. In 2009, he committed suicide to avoid going to jail, and because of his cancer diagnosis, he died. [2] (A woman named Ernestine Upchurch, with whom Sutton had been living in the 1990s, later said she helped write the book. Let us know in the comments. [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. She told the Associated Press (per NBC): "He couldn't go to prison. Sutton was first interred at a family graveyard in Mount Sterling, North Carolina. 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. and including a lot of other shit came in this country illegal. Angel Sutton is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Glen Sutton. He had got the footstone made in advance and had kept for years by his front porch. Soon after Sutton's demise, there were rumors that suggested his grave had been vandalized. R.I.P Popcorn . In 2017, Sutton's Parrottsville estate caught fire. While some revile the folkloric status Popcorn has achieved, denouncing him as a common criminal, few can argue that Popcorn was a bridge to the past, a window on a vanishing part of Appalachian culture. When Popcorn Sutton was sentenced to jail in 2009 for moonshining, Pam stood by her husband. This led the firefighters to discover 650 gallons of untaxed alcohol. he seemed to be a kind old soul. However, prior to his death, she had not seen him in years. He was a folk hero. Even in death his battles wage on: Popcorns whiskey recently became available legally for the first time, but a family feud over his legacy shows no signs of resolution. In 2009, he chose suicide in order to avoid going to prison, and he was diagnosed with cancer the following year. Among his many documentaries was one that won an Emmy for its portrayal of his unique personality. Yes, I do, Grosser replied.Then come on in. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States has released a report ranking the top moonshine states. What did his Mom put in the moonshine to make medicine, that Popcorn got addicted to? Sutton then wrote a self-published autobiography and guide to moonshine production called Me and My Likker, and began selling copies of it in 1999 out of his junk shop in Maggie Valley. As only a legend would be, Popcorn Sutton was actually buried twice. The book also offers a better understanding of how the people of the region survived. Since his passing, his fame has only become more widespread with a new whiskey company that bears his name and numerous mentions on Discovery Channels popular show Moonshiners. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/popcorn-sutton-46282.php. Later, in 1981, Sutton was convicted and sentenced in the Haywood County Superior Court in North Carolina for felony possession of a controlled substance. He wasn't just a poor old moonshiner trying to make a few dollars.". Popcorn Suttons legal fight to legalize moonshine resulted in his suicide and subsequent criminal prosecution, but it was his legal fight to legalize the spirit that led to his death. Hutchesons coffee table book style biography, The Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton is a glimpse into Popcorns wit, jokes and hillbilly way of life. [39] At the time of the announcement, it had not been decided whether the Popcorn Sutton brands would continue to be produced under contract by the distillery or not.[39]. Assuming you have all of the necessary items and your climate is favorable for moonshine making, this is how much corn it will take to produce 5 gallons of liquor: 201 ounces of cracked corn 7 pounds of granulated sugar. 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. It is also critical to use the proper amount of sugar in each batch of moonshine to make it safe to drink. Surprisingly, this list doesnt include any states with the highest moonshiner rates per capita. From back rooms to barrooms, locals tell me sordid tales of Popcorns violent temper. He was placed on probation. Pam Sutton sits down with Rick to discuss Popcorn Sutton The Rick Dollar Show 836 subscribers Subscribe 913 Share 124K views 7 years ago Pam Sutton discusses Popcorn Sutton and her. [20] Mrs. Sutton said, "He called it his three-jar car because he gave three jugs of liquor for it. His white lightning wasnt just potent and sweetit was illegal. A moonshine is a spirit created by fermenting cane juice. And Fontes, despite angering some locals for busting Popcorn, eventually became sheriff, a post he maintains today. How Old Is Pam St. Clement? We dont plan to change that model. [7], Sutton was featured in the 2007 documentary Hillbilly: The Real Story on The History Channel. When he took it back home what happen to it?? For now, let's learn about Popcorn Sutton and his cause of death. Is Pam Sutton Still Alive Willie Nelson had him onstage at a local show, and Johnny Knoxville taped a visit to Popcorns cabin. The best way to make Popcorn Suttons recipe was discovered in a large quantity of instructions and tips. I dont believe it or not, but the vast majority of it happened in the last few decades. If the strangers seemed trustworthy, Popcorn would take their cash, about $40 per gallon at his peak, and tell them to pick up their moonshine from one of his secret drop boxes hidden in the woods: a baby casket or an old toilet. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, the states with the most illegal stills are Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. The company that sold Popcorn Sutton branded products, on the other hand, continues to sell them directly to consumers. Sutton was convicted multiple times for selling moonshine without a license. Small batches of this alcohol are typically made and can contain 40 to 80 percent alcohol by volume. See top. Popcorn was unique. He honed the perfection of the craft, much like his father and grandfather had before him. Whiskey production became ingrained in early Appalachian culture, thanks in part to the regions perfect climate for growing sweet corn. He was methodical about his brand and making a living, Grosser recalls. He was selling some stuff. 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. On March 16, 2009, Sutton, a resident of Northbridge, England, died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. Moonshiners distillers JB and Bill from Connelly Springs, NC, are now teaching their distilling techniques in both states. He always stayed true to his craft, Upchurch tells me, which was making liquor. The lawsuit was settled in 2014. "It was beyond surreal," she said Wednesday. Lunn and Henley and the other employees of the distillery became employees of the Sazerac Company. That year, his conviction led to a sentence by federal authorities of 18 months in federal prison which leads us to our next Sutton factoid . 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. Sutton was convicted of tax evasion after his property was damaged by fire in 2007. June 5, 2022 Posted by: Category: Uncategorized; No Comments . But with thousands of people, including then-Gov. 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. He came from a long line of moonshiners, so bootlegging and moonshining have been his calling since he arrived on Earth. 'Moonshiner' Josh Owens Is Seemingly Prone to Injury, Here's Exactly How the 'Moonshiners' Avoid Getting Arrested. 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. I can't be the only one that misses Popcorn Sutton.I would have loved to pick his brain. Grosser was just like any other fanboy whod come to meet the living legend and buy some hooch. His wife reported that he had once told her that he would do this, rather than go to jail. He was well-known in the entertainment industry for his stage name and custom copper stills, and he made a name for himself. Since his death, he has been honored with a new company and whiskey brand named after him. Famed Appalachian moonshiner Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton, whose incorrigible bootlegging ways were as out of step with modern times as his hillbilly beard and overalls, took his own life rather than go to prison for making white lightning, his widow says. We are not endorsed by, authorized by, or affiliated with any mentioned attractions. The nickname "Popcorn" was given to him in the 1960s or the 1970s, after Sutton attacked a broken popcorn vending machine with a pool cue. Its empty. 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. We have a lot of people come to Maggie Valley that want to meet Popcorn.. My favorite place of hanging out, how not the kitchen! The four-word epitaph sums up how he felt about his life, his death, and his legacy:Popcorn said fuck you.Show me more booze.Head over to the girl galleries. She believes in elegance through simplicity, with designs that reflect harmony with nature and the occasional sly sense of humor. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us. [33] Dubbed "Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey", it was marketed as having been produced on stills designed by Sutton using his secret family recipe and techniques Sutton entrusted to former Supercross professional Jamey Grosser of J&M Concepts. In the 90s he authored a ribald autobiography, Me and My Likker, which he sold on the Internet. Would loved to have known Popcorn. This is the Last Dam Run of Likker Ill Ever Make, The Greenbrier Gatlinburg: The best and most haunted restaurant in town, Dign Zone construction theme park coming soon to Sevierville TN, Is Mountain Monsters Real? He was eating a piece of Blueberry pie. The wife of Hall of Fame coach Eddie Sutton died Tuesday at a Tulsa hospital after suffering a stroke in December, according to officials at Ninde Brookside Chapel. ", 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. Suttons money has been used to fund the production of moonshine and to support the people who make it. He considered moonshining his birth rite. moonshine must be made from cracked corn, and the kernels must be large enough to break down into sugar during fermentation. "He couldn't go to prison. Newport Plain Talk, Cocke Countys local newspaper, originally reported the following arrests and convictions. His moonshine was made from a recipe passed down through his family and sold in the back of his Ford Model A truck. He seemed kind and good, not perfect but who is? Singer-songwriter Hank Williams III attended Sutton's funeral and later sang 'Moonshiner's Life,' a song about Sutton, which is part of the singers 2010 album 'Rebel Within.'. In 1974, he was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and charged with multiple violations. Unfortunately, Sutton was not making enough money back then. 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] 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. Marvin Suttons legend began when he beat up the snack machine with a pool cue. USA Distributor of MCM Equipment is pam sutton still alive His self-published autobiography, Me and My Likker, described the amazing journey of moonshine production. Spring 2023 enrollment at Western Carolina Univers Waynesville is Haywood Countys only municipal g Jake Tallent vividly remembers the impact that the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority received a v Book reading, film screening to commemorate Popcorn Sutton, As long as water runs downhill: The story of Popcorn Sutton, Hillbilly Jammers get high on the mountain, Pardon me?
