Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton (October 5, 1946 March 16, 2009) was an American Appalachian moonshiner and bootlegger. [35] According to press reports, Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey would be initially distributed in Tennessee and throughout the southeast. In 1974, he was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and charged with multiple violations. 1. USA Distributor of MCM Equipment is pam sutton still alive He is buried in the. Popcorns attire rarely varied: overalls, a flannel shirt and gray brimmed hat, occasionally adorned with a squirrel tail. This left Pam to raise their children largely on her own. 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. 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. In addition to serving probation after being caught with over 650 gallons of moonshine, he was also convicted of selling alcohol without a license. 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. Pam St. Clement Birthday and Age. by Loyola Martinez | Dec 28, 2022 | Popcorn. I met him once at his little shack in Cherokee. His parents lived in a wooden house in a mountain perched beside a tumbling stream. He was convicted of moonshining and illegal firearm possession offenses and was scheduled to report to federal prison in March 2009, but he committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. He was 62 years old. The brand now uses a clear, round bottle with a smaller label. 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. In this article, we take a closer look at some of the most interesting monsters mentioned on Travel Channel's Mountain Monsters (media photo from Travel Channel, werewolf rendering from Adobe stock), The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is one of the main attractions in Bryson City, North Carolina (photo by Alaina O'Neal/TheSmokies.com), I would love to have drank some of his moonshine ll0, I wud love to have met Popcorn. He would sell a gallon of alcohol for just 6 dollars. We dont plan to change that model. To collect Popcorns original bottles, you can purchase them from eBay. Angel Sutton is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Glen Sutton. Read Also: Is Moonshiners real? Despite being on probation, Popcorn defiantly refused to give up his trade. 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. One Christmas at the Cocke County police department, deputy Armando Fontes got a gift from a mysterious man with a long white beard. Heres What You Should Know, 29 Best Restaurants in Pigeon Forge, Ranked [2023], Great Smoky Mountains National Park Entrance Fees, What You Should Know, Smoky Mountains in March: Events in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge [2023], A Simple Guide to Smoky Mountain Parking Passes, Park it Forward. Moonshining was legal in the United States for the first time a year after his death. Neal Hutcheson, another filmmaker who worked with Sutton, is worth $30 million. Small batches of this alcohol are typically made and can contain 40 to 80 percent alcohol by volume. It was an absolute honor to meet him. 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. He seemed interesting and came out with some funny one liners. (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. All Rights Reserved. , 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. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, the states with the most illegal stills are Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. As part of his undercover investigation, an undercover federal officer discovered that Sutton had 500 gallons of moonshine in his possession. Popcorn Sutton was married to Pam Sutton. Pam was diagnosed with Stage 3 Bowel Cancer in January 2014. He came from a long line of moonshiners, so bootlegging and moonshining have been his calling since he arrived on Earth. He was well-known in the entertainment industry for his stage name and custom copper stills, and he made a name for himself. He honed the perfection of the craft, much like his father and grandfather had before him. How Old - Age: 80. A popcorn net worth of between one and seven million dollars is estimated for Sutton Popcorn. gotta love popcorns sarcastic wit. . Either way, months later, his wife Pam held a large public memorial service, which Hank Williams Jr. famously attended. 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. Sutton could have gotten as much as 15 years in prison, but got off with a surprisingly light relatively speaking with just 18 months. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. His recipe, on the other hand, still lives on and is produced at Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery in Kentucky. But while the cops may not have pursued his bootlegging aggressively, Popcorn got himself in hot water nonetheless. Sutton's memorial grew in spectacle as country music singer Hank Williams Jr. flew in to pay his respects. It took his money, but didnt produce popcorn, eliciting a few swift blows from Sutton to crack open the machine. My favorite place of hanging out, how not the kitchen! But as Popcorn discovered, the buyers were federal agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Americas most notorious moonshiner was under arrest. Whiskey consumption has grown over the last few years as people seek out new flavors and styles of moonshine. 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. Over the course of his infamous career, Sutton faced a number of criminal complaints and convictions for moonshine-related crimes. He wasn't just a poor old moonshiner trying to make a few dollars.". 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. She hadn't seen him since she was 2, though they had talked on the phone. Morgan is the founder Morgan Media LLC, a graphic design agency and the co-founder of TheSmokies.com LLC a media company that specializes in regional travel sites. In 2009, an accidental carbon monoxide overdose claimed the life of the actor. The company and whiskey brand associated with him have been renamed after him since he died. ", Maggie Valley, NC Mark, Digger and JB are close to completing the first run of liquor anyones made here since Popcorn Sutton did his last run 20 years ago #Moonshiners on @Discovery and @discoveryplus https://t.co/mJGWJuEHZO pic.twitter.com/RohfOaMOKq. In 2009, he committed suicide to avoid going to jail, and because of his cancer diagnosis, he died. She has shown her strength and resilience in the face of adversity, and she is a deserving recipient of the money her husband left behind. If you are going to produce moonshine, you must carefully follow his recipe and instructions. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. Stanley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 as a member of . Sutton was found at the age of 62 in his parked green Ford Fairmont with the engine running. He made his home in Cocke County, where cockfighting and moonshining are legend. On March 16, 2009, the 48-year-old Sutton committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. In January 2009, Sutton was charged with illegal distillation of spirits and firearm possession. Then there was the alleged attack on Willie Ferguson, a local musician who reportedly made the mistake of crossing Popcorn. 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. Popcorns stuff wasnt just cleanit was so tasty that locals treasure their last mason jars of it to this day. 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. From that moment on, the locals called him Popcorna reminder that this was one moonshiner you didnt want to cross. Now 62 and fighting kidney failure, Popcorn faced 15 yearslikely his last onesbehind bars. Popcorns remains are still buried in his side yard in Parrotsville, Tennessee, where his widow will ensure no one else tries to harm him in the future. 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. In 2007, Sutton was caught with over 650 gallons of moonshine by local Cocke County authorities. 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. 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. On March 16, 2009, Sutton, a resident of Northbridge, England, died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. Its easy to spot Popcorn Sutton, also known as Marvin, if youre looking for legendary moonshiners. Soon after Sutton's demise, there were rumors that suggested his grave had been vandalized. The book also offers a better understanding of how the people of the region survived. On October 25, 2013, Tennessee whiskey brand Jack Daniel's Properties sued Popcorn Sutton's whiskey brand for copying their newly redesigned bottle. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News. These states are all part of the southern United States. But how well do you really know the legend of Popcorn Sutton? While some may question whether or not she is worthy of such a windfall, there is no doubt that Pam Sutton is a hard-working woman who has been through a lot in her life. We can conclude from this that moonshine culture is still thriving in the southern United States. [7], Sutton was featured in the 2007 documentary Hillbilly: The Real Story on The History Channel. [2] (A woman named Ernestine Upchurch, with whom Sutton had been living in the 1990s, later said she helped write the book. Hutchesons coffee table book style biography, The Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton is a glimpse into Popcorns wit, jokes and hillbilly way of life. He became well-known as a liquor king well into his 60s. 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. "He couldn't go to prison. 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? 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. Per NBC News, the famed moonshiner and bootlegger Popcorn Sutton died by suicide, possibly to avoid serving time in federal prison. As the story goes, Fergusons body was found on the side of the road, left for dead after having his throat slit. Popcorn Sutton's wife, Pam, died in 2009 after a long battle with cancer. Maggie Valley lost a friend and an ambassador, said James Carver, a long-time friend of Popcorns and a Maggie Valley native. He had a wood burning stove inside. As one legislator put it, The law is not making legal someone who wants to open a distillery in their barn. Irwin told Sutton to run nothing but water through it. Concepts LLC and Pam Sutton, the widow of Hank Williams, to create a line of whiskey named after her. The company that sold Popcorn Sutton branded products, on the other hand, continues to sell them directly to consumers. Some people have questioned whether or not Pam Sutton is worthy of the money she has been left. 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. 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. He was eating a piece of Blueberry pie. As only a legend would be, Popcorn Sutton was actually buried twice. In addition to being a wife and mother, Pam also worked as a waitress and a cook to help make ends meet. $50. While Popcorn was under house arrest, motocross star Jamey Grosser showed up unannounced at the cabin one day. However, she and her father were not very close. Back then, he lived on Snowbird Mountain. 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. Since his death, a new company and associated whiskey brand have been named after him. Sutton committed suicide 2 years after their marriage. [4] The source footage from the 2002 documentary was also re-worked into another Hutcheson documentary, The Last One, which was released in 2008 and was broadcast on PBS. 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. Stanley established The Starchild character for his Kiss persona. 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. [24] He had also prepared a footstone in advance for his gravesite, and for years he had kept it by his front porch and had kept his casket ready in his living room. Pam has worked for NSW Police for 11 years as a General Administrative Support Officer. Sutton also had a daughter by the name of Sky Sutton. There arent any more not in his form or fashion, thats for sure., Julia Merchant contributed to this article. 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.'. Did Popcorn ever have a wife? Sutton, an infamous moonshiner, had been trying to outrun revenuers for more than three decades now. While Sutton made his career out of this illegal trade, his rise to massive fame didnt happen until he was about 60 years old. Aint nobody make it better than this, she cackles over a sip. [18][19] In January 2009, Sutton, who had used a public defender as his attorney in the case and had pleaded guilty, was sentenced to 18 months in a federal prison for illegally distilling spirits and possession of a firearm (a .38-caliber handgun) as a felon. Haywood mans presidential pardon reveals systemic inequities, Town of Waynesville will pursue staggered terms for aldermen, SCC grad inspires latest New Century Scholars. In Maggie Valley, he opened an antique shop as a front, soon a destination for eager buyers from across the region. 'Moonshiner' Josh Owens Is Seemingly Prone to Injury, Here's Exactly How the 'Moonshiners' Avoid Getting Arrested. Cutie Pie survived a snake bite in 2017. [2023], Is the Laurel Falls Hike Easy? She was one of six children born to a sharecropper and a housewife. TULSA, Okla. (AP) Patsy Sutton, the matriarch of a family of college basketball coaches, has died in Oklahoma at age 74. Sutton Popcorn Company retains the right to use the name in some capacity. He had got the footstone made in advance and had kept for years by his front porch. Moreover, she is also not on social media which makes it further difficult to track down her life at present.

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