Manhunt: What happened to Colin Sutton? Where is he now? On October 25, 2013, Tennessee whiskey brand Jack Daniel's Properties sued Popcorn Sutton's whiskey brand for copying their newly redesigned bottle. He made his home in Cocke County, where cockfighting and moonshining are legend. [41], In December 2016, the Popcorn Sutton Distillery was sold to the Sazerac Company. Is Pam St. Clement Dead or Still Alive? 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. ", 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. People in the community didnt know how close we was, and I wouldnt tell em, Moore admits. So its no surprise that the law eventually caught up with him. His archive footages were featured in the 2016 docuseries 'Moonshiners.'. He was really just a back hill shiner. DE, Popcorn Suttons XXX Tennessee White Whiskey can also be purchased in a mason jar. Even when he came to federal court, he was wearing bib overalls. When Popcorn Sutton died in 2009, he left behind a large sum of money. after being convicted of offenses related to moonshining and illegal firearm possession. 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 . Pamela Sutton-Wallace Net Worth (2023) | wallmine As Hank Williams Jr. says of Popcorn, This guy was real Appalachian Americana. DK. The grave of the last American outlaw sits off a dirt road in the backwoods of Maggie Valley, North Carolina, the hillbilly haven where Marvin Popcorn Sutton, the most notorious moonshiner ever, lived and died in the wildest of ways. and including a lot of other shit came in this country illegal. Sutton also produced a home video of the same name, which he released on VHS tape. He came from a long line of moonshiners, so bootlegging and moonshining have been his calling since he arrived on Earth. Back then, he lived on Snowbird Mountain. Crime, whiskey & homemade sex machines: The life, death and legacy of Popcorn Sutton, Americas greatest moonshiner. Unfortunately, Sutton was not making enough money back then. We have a lot of people come to Maggie Valley that want to meet Popcorn.. 33 Years old foodie & cookie lover. Pam said that a few days later, after coming home from running errands, she found her husband dead in his Ford. Filmed and released in 2002, the film quickly became a cult classic and over time drew the attention of television producers in Boston and New York. Clearly, the actress is still alive and well today, and she's been in remission for the . Offers may be subject to change without notice. Sutton's memorial grew in spectacle as country music singer Hank Williams Jr. flew in to pay his respects. He was 62 years old. 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. Popcorn Sutton married Pam Sutton in 2007 just two years prior to his death. Sutton was convicted of tax evasion after his property was damaged by fire in 2007. It took his money, but didnt produce popcorn, eliciting a few swift blows from Sutton to crack open the machine. A moonshine is a spirit created by fermenting cane juice. He always stayed true to his craft, Upchurch tells me, which was making liquor. 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. In 2009, an accidental carbon monoxide overdose claimed the life of the actor. 4 mos. After her death, Suttons business continued to operate, and he continued to produce moonshine until his own death in 2009. Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton (October 5, 1946 March 16, 2009) was an American Appalachian moonshiner and bootlegger. Sutton'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. Moonshiners distillers JB and Bill from Connelly Springs, NC, are now teaching their distilling techniques in both states. Read Also: Legend or lawbreaker: The real story of Popcorn Sutton. She has no doubt Sutton died on his own terms. To start the business, Sutton borrowed money from Nick Price. In this article we'll look back at her success and reveal what comes next for the hard-working Black actress. Whatever he earned from trading the barrels to Nick would go back into the next batch of products, and he would leave with little to spend on his household. 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. He always lived a death-before-dishonor kind of life." Sutton was found at the age of 62 in his parked green Ford Fairmont with the engine running. Let us know in the comments. Inspired by the story, Grosser suggested they partner on a distillery and sell Popcorns moonshine legally. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. . In 2007, Sutton was caught with over 650 gallons of moonshine by local Cocke County authorities. Sutton was in a live-in relationship with Ernestine Upchurch, who later helped him write his autobiography. He had a wood burning stove inside. Seussian contraptions of barrels and metal tubing, Popcorns stills could be set up and dismantled quickly at the riverside, just in case the cops screeched up. Soon after Sutton's demise, there were rumors that suggested his grave had been vandalized. She was one of six children born to a sharecropper and a housewife. 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. 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. In Maggie Valley, he opened an antique shop as a front, soon a destination for eager buyers from across the region. 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. [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. He was a friendly fellow, and of course every time you would talk to him, he would say, "Ray, I've run my last run of moonshine, I'm not gonna do it anymore, I'm just getting too old to be doing this stuff.". Copyright 2023 Distractify. Hi my Name is Angel. Haywood mans presidential pardon reveals systemic inequities, Town of Waynesville will pursue staggered terms for aldermen, SCC grad inspires latest New Century Scholars. Almost everyone who grew up in and around Cocke County, Tennessee is familiar with the legend of Popcorn Sutton. What To Know About the Shows Creatures, Is the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Worth It? By deadorkicking.com Editorial Team. Birthday: May 21, 1942. To elude the cops, he switched up the cars oftenit was a 46 Willis Jeep one trip, a 53 Ford convertible the next. Pam Sutton. However, most believe it was either due to vandalism of the original site or a family dispute with his widow. 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. Personally I think they should have left him alone and focus on what there real job is he didn't hurt nobody. Pam St. Clement was born on May 21, 1942 and is 80 years old now. In 2007, 'The History Channel' featured Sutton's next documentary, 'Hillbilly: The Real Story.' She told the Associated Press (per NBC): "He couldn't go to prison. She even went so far as to testify on his behalf at his sentencing hearing. His body was carried to its new resting spot by horse and carriage. Pamela Sutton Profiles | Facebook Shit while they were focused on him how much herion coke pills ? 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. But the young cop, whod seen the ravaging effects of drugs and alcohol on the locals, didnt comply. On March 16, 2009, the 48-year-old Sutton committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. 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. Damian Sutton, 2, has died at a Detroit hospital after being taken off life support. Pam Sutton, the wife of the late moonshiner Popcorn Sutton, has been left with a large sum of money following her husbands death. So credit the federal government for my husband being dead, I really do," she said. In 1982, Memphis Popcorn Sutton helped to found the industrys first terminal. But even for this seasoned veteran of the force, Popcorn stood out. Popcorns nickname dates to a barroom brawl between himself and a popcorn machine. Months before his conviction, Sutton reportedly had a mental breakdown after being diagnosed with cancer. , 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. Pam Sutton was born in 1951 in the small town of Maggie Valley, North Carolina. Joe and Pam were not present for Kobe's final NBA game, nor were they in attendance for his jersey retirement ceremony in 2017. 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. His self-published autobiography, Me and My Likker, described the amazing journey of moonshine production. It was said he did this to avoid the federal prison term that was supposed to start a few days later. Fans Want to Know Why 'Moonshiners' Star Tickle Was in Jail Again! Bill, who played guitar and harmonica on the show, died in early 2019 after a lengthy battle with cancer. However, Sutton continued producing liquor barrels, and the business eventually grew more prominent. Still, his name is synonymous with one of the countys greatest claims to fame: Real mountain moonshine. 1929 wheat penny. We can conclude from this that moonshine culture is still thriving in the southern United States. In addition to organizing the Mountain Music Festival and the Moonshiners Reunion, Bill plays the guitar and organizes gig events. 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. The Last Hillbilly Hero - Maxim [3][4][5] He wrote a self-published autobiographical guide to moonshining production, self-produced a home video depicting his moonshining activities, was the subject of several documentaries, including one that received a Regional Emmy Award, and is the subject of the award-winning biography and photobook The Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton.[6]. 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. He was convicted of moonshining and illegal firearms possession as a result of his moonshining conviction. The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. 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. 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. I sounded like absinthe. Sutton died by suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning in March 2009, aged 62, rather than report to federal prison[according to whom?] 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. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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. His wife reported that he had once told her that he would do this, rather than go to jail. The revised version of the book includes details of his death. I dont care if he come in drunk or anything. But Moore kept their friendship on the DL so as not to anger the more conservative locals.