In December 2016, Popcorn Sutton Distillery was sold to the alcoholic beverage company 'Sazerac Company.'. Fontes arrived to find Popcorn Sutton fanning the flames of a still, which had exploded from a gas leak. 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. Sky Moonshine, the estranged daughter of Sutton, published Daddy: The Story of Marvin Popcorn Sutton. Sutton was first interred at a family graveyard in Mount Sterling, North Carolina. 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. The charges also included tax evasion and transportation of an illegal substance. No bootlegger, however, would become as enigmatic as Popcorn. 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. [34] Country music stars attending the launch event included Martina McBride, Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Zac Brown, Josh Thompson, Kentucky Headhunters, Little Big Town, Colt Ford, Montgomery Gentry, Jaron and the Long Road to Love, and Lee Brice. It was an absolute honor to meet him. Whiskey is a great beverage to try if youre looking for something different. Grosser was just like any other fanboy whod come to meet the living legend and buy some hooch. She believes in elegance through simplicity, with designs that reflect harmony with nature and the occasional sly sense of humor. She was taken to upstate where she remained there for a a week and worked so hard to come home. I can brag about one thing, Popcorn once said in his thick Southern drawl. He appeared in the Western film Ghost Town: The Movie, in addition to his roles in the films Ghost Town: The Movie and Ghost Town: The Movie. His archive footage was featured in a 2016 documentary series, Moonshiners. Almost everyone who grew up in and around Cocke County, Tennessee is familiar with the legend of Popcorn Sutton. Pretty dam sad if you ask me. He was a moonshine maker as well as Popcorn Sutton Moonshines creator, collaborating with his father. [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. Pam St. Clement Birthday and Age. Lawlessness around here still persists, with poverty, crystal meth, and alcoholism rampant. Back then, he lived on Snowbird Mountain. "It was beyond surreal," she said Wednesday. 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. In a move to perhaps cement his legendary status for all of eternity, Popcorn Sutton committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning just days before his federal prison term was scheduled to begin in 2009. Best Match Powered by Whitepages Premium AGE 50s Pamela L Sutton Brooklyn, NY (Central Brooklyn) View Full Report Addresses Avenue J, Brooklyn, NY E 9th St, Brooklyn, NY Pam was a loving wife and mother who was always there for her family. The total weight of the ingredients is 143 pounds (65.2 kilograms), with cracked corn accounting for 65.1 kilograms and granulated sugar accounting for 76 kilograms. In 2017, Sutton's Parrottsville estate caught fire. Here are six interesting facts about his life that might just surprise you. 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. He made his home in Cocke County, where cockfighting and moonshining are legend. The money has also been used to support the families of those who have been killed or incarcerated because of their involvement in the moonshine business. In 2009, he committed suicide to avoid going to jail, and because of his cancer diagnosis, he died. She has a Netflix doc, 'Pamela, A Love Story,' and book out now. As a result, the judge had reason to show him leniency. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. He used the freshest white corn for his mash and the coldest, cleanest stream water. 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. 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. Did you know anything about Popcorn Sutton that we missed? 4 mos. Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton killed himself in 2009 after being sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for selling nearly a thousand gallons of moonshine to an undercover agent. [36] The lawsuit said that the design "is likely to cause purchasers and prospective purchasers of the product to believe mistakenly that it is a new Tennessee white whiskey product in the Jack Daniel's line." As I discover over several sweltering days and clandestine jugs of moonshine, Popcorn left a twisted trail: scorned women, abandoned kids, complicit cops, even homemade sex machines, exploding stills, and the tale of a throat-slit fiddler on the side of the road. But the young cop, whod seen the ravaging effects of drugs and alcohol on the locals, didnt comply. Fontes has just returned from raiding a local pot farm and is twirling a two-foot-long marijuana stalk in his hand like a billy club. "He tried every way in the world to get them (federal authorities) to leave him on house arrest," she said. 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. The best way to make Popcorn Suttons recipe was discovered in a large quantity of instructions and tips. He comes from the old era, said Maggie Valley Police Chief Scott Sutton, describing Popcorn Sutton as the last of his breed. I wander up a grassy hill and read it there where hes now buried, the same spot where his still had gone up in flames. [2][7] Sutton, 62 and suffering from a long illness that his doctors had failed to diagnose, asked the U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer to allow him to serve his sentence under house arrest, and several petitions were made by others requesting that his sentence be reduced or commuted, but this time to no avail. "I just hope and pray they don't send me off (to prison).". Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton (October 5, 1946 March 16, 2009) was an American Appalachian moonshiner and bootlegger. 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] Popcorns nickname dates to a barroom brawl between himself and a popcorn machine. Marvin Popcorn Sutton, 62, was found dead of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in a car near his Parrotsville, Tenn., residence, days before he was to begin serving an 18-month prison sentence for large-scale moonshine operation. moonshine was legal in the United States for the first time in a year shortly before Popcorn Sutton died of cancer. The states with the most moonshiners, on the other hand, are not among the top five for per capita moonshine production. (February 10, 1944 - December 22, 2010) We were fortunate to have a woman at Lions Dragstrip who was so dedicated that she wanted to preserve the performance of every car that raced down the strip. Popcorn Sutton married Pam Sutton in 2007 just two years prior to his death. Probably because its still illegal to make shine. And Fontes, despite angering some locals for busting Popcorn, eventually became sheriff, a post he maintains today. Birthday: May 21, 1942. Yes, I do, Grosser replied.Then come on in. While Sutton made his career out of this illegal trade, his rise to massive fame didnt happen until he was about 60 years old. His mind would just not accept it. In January 2009, Sutton was charged with illegal distillation of spirits and firearm possession. The brand now uses a clear, round bottle with a smaller label. 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 . 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. I walked over and asked if he was the man on the Postcard. This is one of the internets most popular searches about Sutton. Born in Maggie Valley, North Carolina,[1][2] he grew up, lived and died in the rural areas around Maggie Valley and nearby Cocke County, Tennessee. Pam Sutton married Popcorn Sutton just two years before his death in 2007. Despite being on probation, Popcorn defiantly refused to give up his trade. Urban drinks are featured. At a time when moonshining and bootlegging were considered illicit in the United States, Sutton established his empire with just one barrel. He gained fame as a moonshiner and bootlegger in the United States at a time when illicit businesses were the norm. To Grosser it seemed less like a sellout than the last swift move of a sharp entrepreneur. Willie Nelson had him onstage at a local show, and Johnny Knoxville taped a visit to Popcorns cabin. His daughter claimed that he had told her in advance that he would kill himself rather than go to jail. [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. He seemed interesting and came out with some funny one liners. His parents lived in a wooden house in a mountain perched beside a tumbling stream. He was quite a Character. 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. Most of it happened in the last 20 years, if not longer. 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. How Old Is Pam St. Clement? Pams early years were spent working on her familys tobacco farm. Later, in 1981, Sutton was convicted and sentenced in the Haywood County Superior Court in North Carolina for felony possession of a controlled substance. Drinks for urban drinkers If you want a mason jar to store Popcorn Suttons XXX Tennessee White Whiskey, you can also get it. He would sell a gallon of alcohol for just 6 dollars. I can relate to that, as I am the same way. 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. Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton. [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. Sutton learned to make moonshine at an early age. Read on for all the details about her life now. One Christmas at the Cocke County police department, deputy Armando Fontes got a gift from a mysterious man with a long white beard. To start the business, Sutton borrowed money from Nick Price. In 1985, he was convicted again for a felony assault with a weapon with intent, for which he received another three-year sentence. Pamela and Tommy had a whirlwind romance. I sounded like absinthe. Since his death, he has been honored with a new company and whiskey brand named after him. gotta love popcorns sarcastic wit. Sutton appeared in several documentaries including This is the Last Dam Run of Likker Ill Ever Make (featured below). According to filmmaker Neal Hutcheson, Sutton remains an intriguing figure. He was a part of the 2002 Neal Hutcheson film Moon moonshine, which focused on the illegal moonshine trade. According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, she and her father spoke on the phone occasionally. An incident report filed by the Cocke County Sheriffs Department says that Sutton was discovered dead in his 1982 Ford Fairmont when his wife, Pam Sutton, returned from running errands. Did Popcorn ever have a wife? Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786 828.452.4251. Popcorn Sutton is an American legend! 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. These recipes were made with popcorn Sutton left behind, and they included a lot of instructions and instructions on how to make them. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States has released a report ranking the top moonshine states. pic.twitter.com/V7dUdlJWQ8. As Hank Williams Jr. says of Popcorn, This guy was real Appalachian Americana. Personally I think they should have left him alone and focus on what there real job is he didn't hurt nobody. In 2007, 'The History Channel' featured Sutton's next documentary, 'Hillbilly: The Real Story.' We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. and including a lot of other shit came in this country illegal. Regina Sutton, his eldest daughter, recalls a time in her youth when her mom opened the cabin door to find a man with a butcher knife sticking out of his neck. We have a lot of people come to Maggie Valley that want to meet Popcorn.. Pam has worked for NSW Police for 11 years as a General Administrative Support Officer. Popcorn Suttons moonshine was renowned for its high quality, and he was known for his careful and traditional methods of production. Paul Stanley (born Stanley Bert Eisen; January 20, 1952) is an American musician who is the co-founder, frontman, rhythm guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the hard rock band Kiss.He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's most popular songs. He committed suicide in 2009 as a result of cancer treatment. According to the report, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama have the most moonshiners, with a combined total of 1,634 stills seized by law enforcement. [35] According to press reports, Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey would be initially distributed in Tennessee and throughout the southeast. Its a phrase he cut into his headstone when he was still alive. However, on October 24, 2009, it was relocated to his property in Parrottsville, and a private memorial service was held. The new law wasnt enacted to honor Popcorns legend, though. View the profiles of people named Pam Sutton. Sutton also produced a home video of the same name, which he released on VHS tape. 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. But this shit right here goes right back to the crooked shit that's been going on before I was born. This Diner had postcards of him for sale next to the cash register . by Loyola Martinez | Feb 25, 2023 | Popcorn. 'It was beyond surreal'When he pleaded guilty, it was his fifth conviction. In March 2008, they raided his home and seized 800 gallons of the illegal liquor, three stills with 1,000-gallon capacities, hundreds of gallons of moonshine-making ingredients such as mash and many guns. Pam brings more than 25 years of healthcare industry experience and currently serves as Senior Vice President and Regional Chief Operating Officer of New York Presbyterian. 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. Pam Sutton had that steadfast determination and through her incredible penmanship, we can still see just how fast and who won and who . She has no doubt Sutton died on his own terms. [38], In 2014, Popcorn Sutton Distilling opened a new distillery in Newport, Tennessee, the county seat of Cocke County. 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. Autopsy results may be weeks away. Popcorn Sutton was a moonshiner who was born in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. 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. 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. 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? However, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) raided the spots. Sutton was sentenced to 18 months in prison in January 2009 for tax evasion. 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? But with thousands of people, including then-Gov. 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. Click here to find personal data about Pamela Sutton including phone numbers, addresses, directorships, electoral roll information, related property prices and other useful information. Angel Sutton is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Glen Sutton. When he took it back home what happen to it?? Neal Hutcheson, another filmmaker who worked with Sutton, is worth $30 million. He received the nickname of Popcorn after he attacked a faulty popcorn vending machine with a pool cue out of frustration. Pam Sutton is the wife of the late Marvin Popcorn Sutton, who was a legendary moonshiner from the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee. Small batches of this alcohol are typically made and can contain 40 to 80 percent alcohol by volume. 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? As only a legend would be, Popcorn Sutton was actually buried twice. Lunn and Henley and the other employees of the distillery became employees of the Sazerac Company. In addition to serving probation after being caught with over 650 gallons of moonshine, he was also convicted of selling alcohol without a license. Hi my Name is Angel. Someone of means like Hank Williams Jr., an equity partner with Grosser and Pam Sutton in the Popcorn Sutton Tennessee White Whiskey distillery, which recently celebrated an opening with stars including Kid Rock, Zac Brown, and Travis Tritt. He was convicted of moonshining and illegal firearms possession as a result of his moonshining conviction. We can conclude from this that moonshine culture is still thriving in the southern United States. Popcorn Suttons wife, Maybelle, died in 2012 after a long illness. Pam Sutton, the wife of the late moonshiner Popcorn Sutton, has been left with a large sum of money following her husbands death. [3][4] Before his rise to fame at around 60 years of age, he had been in trouble with the law several times, but had avoided prison sentences. As he once said, I dont bother nobody and nobody better damn sure not mess with me. He'd gotten probation before, but U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer said he couldn't do that again, despite Sutton's age and physical infirmities. These states are all part of the southern United States. 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. The History Channel featured him in a 2007 documentary called "Hillbilly: The Real Story.". Every time Sutton finished filling a barrel, he would give Nick a gallon and sell the rest to him. His archive footages were featured in the 2016 docuseries 'Moonshiners.'. 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. A third-generation moonshiner, born in 1946, Popcorn spent his life distilling the secret recipe for corn whiskey that his Scotch-Irish forefathers brought over centuries ago. Some Popcorn Sutton branded products can still be purchased directly from the original company. On December 1, 2021, a long illness claimed the life of a dear friend. [2][10][11] The New York Times later called it "a rambling, obscene, and often hilarious account of his life in the trade". Pam Suttons moonshine is still highly sought-after, and she has won multiple awards for her products. What did his Mom put in the moonshine to make medicine, that Popcorn got addicted to? Popcorn has never been secretive about his tendency for making moonshine. He became well-known as a liquor king well into his 60s. Sutton earned massive fame as a liquor king by the time he turned 60. Fans Want to Know Why 'Moonshiners' Star Tickle Was in Jail Again! If Suttons prison sentence seems light considering his many crimes, it was in part due to his age.