Some speculated that Pam might have secretly moved the body. His archive footages were featured in the 2016 docuseries 'Moonshiners.'. Each piece is handmade in Pam's studio in Reno, Nevada. 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. He used the freshest white corn for his mash and the coldest, cleanest stream water. [2][10][11] The New York Times later called it "a rambling, obscene, and often hilarious account of his life in the trade". The best way to make Popcorn Suttons recipe was discovered in a large quantity of instructions and tips. By deadorkicking.com Editorial Team. The sale included only the distillery, not the brands, which are owned by Popcorn Sutton Distilling LLC, which is based in Ohio. She believes in elegance through simplicity, with designs that reflect harmony with nature and the occasional sly sense of humor. He published the book at his junk shop in Maggie Valley. 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. A scrawny teen with big ears and droopy eyes, he had just watched the machine eat his quarters without dispensing his popcorn, so he whacked it repeatedly with his pool stick and broke the dang thing. She underwent surgery and began her first round of chemotherapy. She hadn't seen him since she was 2, though they had talked on the phone. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. [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. Its empty. We dont plan to change that model. View the profiles of people named Pam Sutton. Living in this area, he made friends with all the sheriffs and local leaders, Fontes, stocky and dark-haired, tells me one afternoon in his wood-paneled office. He seemed kind and good, not perfect but who is? Sutton followed her husband to coaching stops at College of Southern Idaho, Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky and . Sutton also had a daughter by the name of Sky 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. His estranged daughter Sky Sutton, 35, of Northampton, Mass., had just completed a book about him, titled "Daddy Moonshine," the day he died. View the profiles of people named Pamela Sutton. Sutton was convicted multiple times for selling moonshine without a license. He went to his grave in a pine casket he bought years ago and kept in a bedroom. Urban drinks are featured. How Old Is Pam St. Clement? Popcorn Suttons real name is Marvin Sutton. The couple had been married for over 50 years and had three children together. Sutton was convicted of tax evasion after his property was damaged by fire in 2007. 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. His body was carried to its new resting spot by horse and carriage. He was handed down light charges at the time, netting nothing more than probation. Sutton died by suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning in March 2009, aged 62, rather than report to federal prison[according to whom?] As part of his undercover investigation, an undercover federal officer discovered that Sutton had 500 gallons of moonshine in his possession. He later paid him back with liquor. Reports vary on why he was exhumed and reburied. Join Facebook to connect with Pamela Sutton and others you may know. Suttons money has been used to fund the production of moonshine and to support the people who make it. Others view him as a criminal. While unscrupulous moonshiners distilled their booze through antifreeze-caked radiator pipes (capable of killing a drinker), Popcorn used only new copper tubing. Showed how to make moonshineHe wrote a paperback called "Me and My Likker" and recorded videos on how to make moonshine. Authorities suspect carbon monoxide poisoning. moonshine was made from a recipe passed down through the generations and was sold in the back of his Ford Model A truck. Is Pam Sutton Still Alive Photo by - wp On December 1, 2021, a long illness claimed the life of a dear friend. Authorities suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. An hour after Grosser left the cabin with his paperwork, Popcorn built his final contraption. Is Popcorn Sutton still alive? The company and whiskey brand associated with him have been renamed after him since he died. 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 seemed interesting and came out with some funny one liners. He was placed on probation. 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. Pam Sutton is a much loved and valued member with the Inner West Police Area Command. and including a lot of other shit came in this country illegal. Click here to find personal data about Pamela Sutton including phone numbers, addresses, directorships, electoral roll information, related property prices and other useful information. he still left her $10 million in his will . If Suttons prison sentence seems light considering his many crimes, it was in part due to his age. Where Is Jungle Pam Hardy Now? 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. Facebook gives people the power to. Following this, he was put on probation by Cocke County authorities. "Of course he did. 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. Then there was the alleged attack on Willie Ferguson, a local musician who reportedly made the mistake of crossing Popcorn. 33 Years old foodie & cookie lover. 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. However, on October 24, 2009, it was relocated to his property in Parrottsville, and a private memorial service was held. As he once said, I dont bother nobody and nobody better damn sure not mess with me. Many moonshiners associate Popcorn Sutton with moonshine. 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. While the series typically follows current moonshiners, part of the show features the late Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton. He was selling some stuff. In addition to organizing the Mountain Music Festival and the Moonshiners Reunion, Bill plays the guitar and organizes gig events. "He would tell you exactly what he thought, whether you wanted to hear it or not. Sutton was arrested by an undercover police officer in 2008 after he admitted to storing large amounts of illegal alcohol in another location. 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. To make a 5 gallon batch of moonshine, 201 pounds of corn must be used. 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 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. But the truth is, moonshine is a dangerous health issue and breeds other crime. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In March 2008, Sutton informed an undercover federal officer about the moonshine gallons in Tennessee and Maggie Valley, which he wanted to trade. But Popcorn had fallen on hard times and ended up drinking and talking with Grosser for days. His gravesite footstone reads "Popcorn Said Fuck You.'' Sutton was first interred at a family graveyard in Mount Sterling, North Carolina. Kobe Bryant and his family (Getty) As Fontes learned, Popcorn had a long history of cozying up to the police and avoiding prosecution for making untaxed whiskey. 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. 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. Did Popcorn ever have a wife? Fans Want to Know Why 'Moonshiners' Star Tickle Was in Jail Again! Sky Moonshine, the estranged daughter of Sutton, published Daddy: The Story of Marvin Popcorn Sutton. Sutton was found at the age of 62 in his parked green Ford Fairmont with the engine running. Sutton nicknamed "Popcorn" for smashing up a 10-cent popcorn machine in a bar with a pool cue in his 20s looked like a living caricature of a mountain moonshiner. 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 dont believe it or not, but the vast majority of it happened in the last few decades. 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. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/popcorn-sutton-46282.php. Making likker. He was just a skinny little farmer-looking guy who would come around and talk and cut up, he explains. 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. They should have been focused on crimes that out weighed hi. And Fontes, despite angering some locals for busting Popcorn, eventually became sheriff, a post he maintains today. His wife reported that he had once told her that he would do this, rather than go to jail. The History Channel featured him in a 2007 documentary called "Hillbilly: The Real Story.". At the center of it all was a guy who, right up until his bizarre death, defied his stereotype as much as he seemed to fulfill it. "He did it his way. Helps Continue Popcorn Sutton's Moonshine Legacy", "Popcorn Sutton's whiskey goes legit with Hank Williams Jr.'s stamp of approval", "Hank Williams, Jr. Gets into the Moonshine Business", "Jack Daniel's in legal fight with small distiller", Dickel master distiller leaving to head Popcorn Sutton, "Sazerac Expanding into Tennessee Whiskey with Distillery Purchase", "Hank Tips a Hat and a Glass To Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey", "Another Dickel Distiller, Alisa Henley, Leaves for Popcorn Sutton", Obituary Of Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton, A Tennessee Moonshiner, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Popcorn_Sutton&oldid=1131948838, People from Maggie Valley, North Carolina, Articles with dead external links from October 2010, Articles with dead external links from May 2013, Short description is different from Wikidata, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from September 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Sutton's long-estranged daughter Sky Sutton wrote a self-published book in 2009 entitled, Some of the prior Hutcheson documentary footage of Sutton was used in the 201112 season of the, A brief photographic book about Sutton was released in 2012 , Another Hutcheson documentary about Sutton was released in 2014 called, This page was last edited on 6 January 2023, at 15:01. Popcorn Sutton was married to Pam Sutton. 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. I remember the blood gushing everywhere, she says. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. His moonshine was made from a recipe passed down through his family and sold in the back of his Ford Model A truck. Later, in 1981, Sutton was convicted and sentenced in the Haywood County Superior Court in North Carolina for felony possession of a controlled substance. This led to yet another conviction on a number of charges. 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 hated the persona, says his widow, Pam Sutton. Hutchesons coffee table book style biography, The Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton is a glimpse into Popcorns wit, jokes and hillbilly way of life. On February 7, 2008, a biker arrived at Popcorns house saying he wanted to buy more than 50 gallons of moonshine. Sutton earned massive fame as a liquor king by the time he turned 60. On December 1, 2021, a long illness claimed the life of a dear friend. 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. 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. 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. When he took it back home what happen to it?? To start the business, Sutton borrowed money from Nick Price. Interestingly, just a year after Sutton died, moonshining was legalized in the US. Read on for all the details about her life now. 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: His parents lived in a wooden house in a mountain perched beside a tumbling stream. Per NBC News, the famed moonshiner and bootlegger Popcorn Sutton died by suicide, possibly to avoid serving time in federal prison. 'It was beyond surreal'When he pleaded guilty, it was his fifth conviction. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. [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. His mind would just not accept it. 1929 wheat penny. Because of its high alcohol content, moonshine is not typically sold in stores, but instead is consumed at home or by bar patrons who want to imbibe in a spirit with a distinct flavor profile. Moonshining was legal in the United States for the first time a year after his death. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Local authorities allegedly looked the other way, chalking it up to Popcorn being a community fixture. Told to report to prisonSutton's widow said he'd just gotten a letter to report Friday to a medium-security federal prison in south Georgia to begin an 18-month sentence for illegally producing distilled spirits and being a felon in possession of a gun. after being convicted of offenses related to moonshining and illegal firearm possession. 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? But to those who knew him, he was something more: a brilliant self-promoter and chemist who ultimately despised the persona he had crafted as expertly as his booze. by Loyola Martinez | Feb 25, 2023 | Popcorn. Either way, months later, his wife Pam held a large public memorial service, which Hank Williams Jr. famously attended. [38], In 2014, Popcorn Sutton Distilling opened a new distillery in Newport, Tennessee, the county seat of Cocke County. Read Also: Is Moonshiners real? Is Pam Sutton Still Alive Willie Nelson had him onstage at a local show, and Johnny Knoxville taped a visit to Popcorns cabin. Bell Mary. 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. Marvin " Popcorn " Sutton (October 5, 1946 - March 16, 2009) was an American Appalachian moonshiner and bootlegger. Popcorn Sutton Wife Death Someone of means is going to have to step up. I can brag about one thing, Popcorn once said in his thick Southern drawl. After meeting at a New Year's Eve party in 1994 . Popcorn Sutton, an American moonshiner and bootlegger, lived in the United States from 1946 to 2009. moonshine must be made from cracked corn, and the kernels must be large enough to break down into sugar during fermentation. His thick shaggy beard and slight frame completed the prototypical image of a backwoods mountaineer. Most of it happened in the last 20 years, if not longer. pic.twitter.com/V7dUdlJWQ8. "All the rest of them that I know are dead," Sutton said in the profane, not-for-primetime clip. To collect Popcorns original bottles, you can purchase them from eBay. The couple had three children together, but Popcorn Suttons moonshining operation often took him away from home for long periods of time. In this article we'll look back at her success and reveal what comes next for the hard-working Black actress. Facebook gives people the power to share. Don Sundquist, visiting for an annual homecoming event, Sutton decided to cook up some real sour mash and dispense it to the crowd in little paper cups. JB and South Mountain Distilling Co. began making moonshine in late 2018. He wasn't just a poor old moonshiner trying to make a few dollars.". I dont want moonshine to die with me, he told Grosser as they stood near the casket that Popcorn kept in his house for his final day. On November 9, 2010, Hank Williams Jr. partnered with 'J&M Concepts LLC' and Pam Sutton to distill and distribute a whiskey brand titled 'Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey.'. As only a legend would be, Popcorn Sutton was actually buried twice. She was one of six children born to a sharecropper and a housewife. "He couldn't go to prison. He honed the perfection of the craft, much like his father and grandfather had before him. Im here to follow the path of Suttons exhumed bones and unravel the mystery behind this modern-day legend. As the story goes, Fergusons body was found on the side of the road, left for dead after having his throat slit. "[21][22], Sutton's body was initially interred at a family graveyard in Mount Sterling, North Carolina. "He tried every way in the world to get them (federal authorities) to leave him on house arrest," she said. He always lived a death-before-dishonor kind of life." Pam Sutton, who became Sutton's fourth wife in 2007, said carbon monoxide may be the method but that's not what killed him. Bill, who played guitar and harmonica on the show, died in early 2019 after a lengthy battle with cancer. According to the Internal Revenue Service, the estate of Kate Sutton is valued at around $500 thousand. [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. 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. My mother-in-law Pam Sutton suffered a massive stroke on 9/15/22. 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. Aint nobody make it better than this, she cackles over a sip. Sutton learned to make moonshine at an early age. Yes, I do, Grosser replied.Then come on in. The suit asked that all current existing bottles be taken off the market and that all profits from the sales of those bottles be handed over to Jack Daniel's. 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. ", 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. The states with the most moonshiners, on the other hand, are not among the top five for per capita moonshine production. In 2007, 'The History Channel' featured Sutton's next documentary, 'Hillbilly: The Real Story.' Moonshine is romanticized in folklore and in the movies, Cavanaugh declared. 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.'. [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. i too would have enjoyed meeting old popcorn,he was and will always be the man the myth the legend that is popcorn marvin sutton, Our site produces editorial content for the purpose of entertainment. Popcorn Suttons wife, Maybelle, died in 2012 after a long illness. According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, she and her father spoke on the phone occasionally. Surprisingly, this list doesnt include any states with the highest moonshiner rates per capita. And his bib overalls he always wore bib overalls. Later he and Sutton even built stills together, and during my visit Moore shows me one of many he recently made. He was 62 years old. Small batches of this alcohol are typically made and can contain 40 to 80 percent alcohol by volume. Additionally, Sutton had had a mental breakdown after being diagnosed with cancer. As a popcorn treat, a pound of moonshine is served. 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. This charge would eventually cause him to fall. 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. 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. Pamela Sutton We found 100+ records for Pamela Sutton in NY, MI and 41 other states. Pam has worked for NSW Police for 11 years as a General Administrative Support Officer. What finally brought him down, however, was a fire at his own home in April 2007 when a still exploded. However, most believe it was either due to vandalism of the original site or a family dispute with his widow. Over the course of his infamous career, Sutton faced a number of criminal complaints and convictions for moonshine-related crimes. Whiskey production became ingrained in early Appalachian culture, thanks in part to the regions perfect climate for growing sweet corn. He gained fame as a moonshiner and bootlegger in the United States at a time when illicit businesses were the norm. In Maggie Valley, he opened an antique shop as a front, soon a destination for eager buyers from across the region. Pam St. Clement Birthday. Pam Grier is the undisputed queen of the 1970s Blaxploitation films. Stanley established The Starchild character for his Kiss persona. 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. Sutton Popcorn Company retains their original use of this name. Popcorn was unique. Wud love to get me some of his mountain juice . [18] The judge noted that Sutton was still under probation in Tennessee at the time of the federal raid, and said that putting a man on probation again after being convicted five times of various crimes would not serve the community interest. The lawsuit was settled in 2014. $50. Shit while they were focused on him how much herion coke pills ? Some Popcorn Sutton branded products can still be purchased directly from the original company. 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. Sutton's last arrest followed a raid in which authorities found nearly 1,700 gallons of moonshine in Parrottsville and a storage unit in Maggie Valley, N.C., three stills, supplies, firearms and ammunition. On the day of his death, a fan wrote on Twitter, "Toasting the passing of the famous moonshiner Popcorn Sutton. 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. However, there is no doubt that Pam is a hard-working woman who has been through a lot in her life. Buyers came from miles around to sample his goods, and Popcorns celebrity grew. 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. She uses several glassmaking techniques to create decorative, as well as functional . He was convicted of moonshining and illegal firearms possession as a result of his moonshining conviction. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Let us know in the comments. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and a partner of other affiliate programs including Booking.com, CJ and Tripster, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases via links found in this article. She told the Associated Press (per NBC): "He couldn't go to prison. [37] In July 2016, it was announced Allisa Henley, long time employee and Master Distiller at George Dickel, would join John Lunn at Popcorn Sutton Distilling. In 1974, he was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and charged with multiple violations. My favorite place of hanging out, how not the kitchen! Probably because its still illegal to make shine. Sutton, an infamous moonshiner, had been trying to outrun revenuers for more than three decades now. Popcorn Suttons moonshine was renowned for its high quality, and he was known for his careful and traditional methods of production. 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. moonshine is still a popular drink in the region, and visitors can still taste it. He considered moonshining his birth rite. Moonshiners distillers JB and Bill from Connelly Springs, NC, are now teaching their distilling techniques in both states. 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. It is also critical to use the proper amount of sugar in each batch of moonshine to make it safe to drink. 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. Months before his conviction, Sutton reportedly had a mental breakdown after being diagnosed with cancer. But the young cop, whod seen the ravaging effects of drugs and alcohol on the locals, didnt comply. While Popcorn was under house arrest, motocross star Jamey Grosser showed up unannounced at the cabin one day.