A moonshine is a spirit created by fermenting cane juice. However, he always received only probation sentences. Surprisingly, this list doesnt include any states with the highest moonshiner rates per capita. In 2007, Sutton was caught with over 650 gallons of moonshine by local Cocke County authorities. In March 2009, Sutton, 62, died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Pam Sutton Portfolio | northtahoearts He hated the persona, says his widow, Pam 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. Fermented corn mash is used to make moonshine. Through it all, there was just one thing that guided him: his likker (as he liked to spell it). "And then he got into it in such a big way. Read on for all the details about her life now. 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. Here are six interesting facts about his life that might just surprise you. He said a Vending machine in a bar took his money and didnt give him his popcorn! He wasn't just a poor old moonshiner trying to make a few dollars.". Pam Sutton. 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. 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. To start the business, Sutton borrowed money from Nick Price. Soon after Sutton's demise, there were rumors that suggested his grave had been vandalized. When I heard how Popcorn was treated and that he wanted me to be involved in carrying on his legacy, I was immediately in. Even when he came to federal court, he was wearing bib overalls. 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. Some people have questioned whether or not Pam Sutton is worthy of the money she has been left. 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. $50. Sutton was arrested by an undercover police officer in 2008 after he admitted to storing large amounts of illegal alcohol in another location. "I just hope and pray they don't send me off (to prison).". She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. If he liked you he liked you, and if he didnt, you better stay away, recalled Carver. His most recent conviction for selling over 650 gallons of moonshine resulted in him being placed on probation. Pam was a loving wife and mother who was always there for her family. Sutton also had a daughter by the name of Sky Sutton. An hour after Grosser left the cabin with his paperwork, Popcorn built his final contraption. Over the next few weeks, Sutton sold more than 100 additional gallons of moonshine each to two different men and showed another guy the barn where three working stills and 500 gallons of moonshine sat, ready to roll. 'Moonshiner' Josh Owens Is Seemingly Prone to Injury, Here's Exactly How the 'Moonshiners' Avoid Getting Arrested. The charges also included tax evasion and transportation of an illegal substance. As Hank Williams Jr. says of Popcorn, This guy was real Appalachian Americana. Unfortunately, Sutton was not making enough money back then. Would loved to have known Popcorn. 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. After separating from his second wife Heather Locklear, Tommy met Pam and the two fell hard and fast. 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 made his first film appearance in 2002, with Neal Hutcheson's documentary 'Mountain Talk.' Pam Sutton: A Hard-Working Woman Who Deserves The Money Left Behind By is pam sutton still alive - Hansmoeskraal.com In 2009, an accidental carbon monoxide overdose claimed the life of the actor. [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. Either way, months later, his wife Pam held a large public memorial service, which Hank Williams Jr. famously attended. His parents lived in a wooden house in a mountain perched beside a tumbling stream. But he was also the sweetest, kindest, most loving man I ever met in my life.". On October 25, 2013, Jack Daniel's Properties, Inc. filed suit against the distiller of Popcorn Sutton's whiskey, claiming that the newly redesigned bottle, with its square shape, beveled shoulders, and white-on-black label, too closely resembled their own. 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. He always lived a death-before-dishonor kind of life." A popcorn net worth of between one and seven million dollars is estimated for Sutton Popcorn. Suttons money has been used to fund the production of moonshine and to support the people who make it. He ran a PVC pipe from the exhaust of his Ford Fairlane into his window and sealed it up with duct tape. JB and South Mountain Distilling Co. began making moonshine in late 2018. As one legislator put it, The law is not making legal someone who wants to open a distillery in their barn. The Last Hillbilly Hero - Maxim She was one of six children born to a sharecropper and a housewife. But Popcorn, who seemed unusually sullen to Grosser, had other plans. [8][15] Sutton next appeared in another Hutcheson film that would become the cornerstone of his notoriety, called This is the Last Dam Run of Likker I'll Ever Make. 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. Facebook gives people the power to. 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 mother-in-law Pam Sutton suffered a massive stroke on 9/15/22. They had two daughters. Whiskey consumption has grown over the last few years as people seek out new flavors and styles of moonshine. He was handed down light charges at the time, netting nothing more than probation. Shit that kills a whole other generation. The most notable thing about the grave? 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 Distilled Spirits Council of the United States has released a report ranking the top moonshine states. In the 90s he authored a ribald autobiography, Me and My Likker, which he sold on the Internet. 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. he still left her $10 million in his will . Furthermore, many of these moonshine stills are hidden in rural areas, allowing visitors to experience the moonshine culture in these states. Did Popcorn ever have a wife? Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Facebook gives people the power to share. His mind would just not accept it. 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. is pam sutton still alive. What did his Mom put in the moonshine to make medicine, that Popcorn got addicted to? [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. Pamela and Tommy had a whirlwind romance. Shit while they were focused on him how much herion coke pills ? His money was running out, and many of his friends, he lamented, had stopped coming around. 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 committed suicide in 2009 as a result of cancer treatment. It was done so the state could finally cash in (in addition to tax payments, starting a moonshine operation requires a half-million-dollar tax bond). According to the Internal Revenue Service, the estate of Kate Sutton is valued at around $500 thousand. All rights reserved. [7], Sutton was featured in the 2007 documentary Hillbilly: The Real Story on The History Channel. Bell Mary. [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. She added that the prison sentence and a cancer diagnosis might have had influenced his decision. 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. ", 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. 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. Probably because its still illegal to make shine. Popcorn Suttons moonshine was renowned for its high quality, and he was known for his careful and traditional methods of production. I said, Im sorry, Im not going to turn a blind eye like the others. He arrested Popcorn, who got two years probation for possession of untaxed liquor. On October 24, 2009, his body was moved to his Parrottsville estate. Join Facebook to connect with Pam Sutton and others you may know. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He wore a long gray beard, faded overalls, checkered shirt and feathered fedora. Popcorn Sutton's wife, Pam, died in 2009 after a long battle with cancer. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. That man went out in a blaze of glory, and flipping his finger as we went," she said. The best way to make Popcorn Suttons recipe was discovered in a large quantity of instructions and tips. He was quite a Character. [12][13]) At around the same time, Sutton produced a home video of the same title and released it on VHS tape. That's a big problem because now look where we're at. Showed how to make moonshineHe wrote a paperback called "Me and My Likker" and recorded videos on how to make moonshine. Personally I think they should have left him alone and focus on what there real job is he didn't hurt nobody. Moreover, there were several petitions made to reduce his sentence. Pamela Sutton Profiles | Facebook People in the community didnt know how close we was, and I wouldnt tell em, Moore admits. But how well do you really know the legend of Popcorn Sutton? However, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) raided the spots. Pam SUTTON | Australian Police While unscrupulous moonshiners distilled their booze through antifreeze-caked radiator pipes (capable of killing a drinker), Popcorn used only new copper tubing. . He was just a skinny little farmer-looking guy who would come around and talk and cut up, he explains. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Word soon spread that Popcorn and another man cut him after a fight and took his fiddle. Clearly, the actress is still alive and well today, and she's been in remission for the . He was convicted of moonshining and illegal firearms possession as a result of his moonshining conviction. As part of his undercover investigation, an undercover federal officer discovered that Sutton had 500 gallons of moonshine in his possession. Sutton Popcorn Company retains their original use of this name. 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. moonshine must be made from cracked corn, and the kernels must be large enough to break down into sugar during fermentation. Thus, it took him forever to clear his debts. Is Pam Sutton Still Alive Photo by - wp On December 1, 2021, a long illness claimed the life of a dear friend. RIP. 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. Authorities began to investigate him without his consent. Jim Tom, his moonshine, was estimated to be worth more than $20 million. [41], In December 2016, the Popcorn Sutton Distillery was sold to the Sazerac Company. He is buried in the. Sutton had a long career making moonshine and bootlegging. These states are all part of the southern United States. The Feds killed him. Pamela Anderson is alive and well. In 2009, he chose suicide in order to avoid going to prison, and he was diagnosed with cancer the following year. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, the states with the most illegal stills are Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. He was also known for being convicted of crimes related to moonshining and illegal firearm possession. Sutton, an infamous moonshiner, had been trying to outrun revenuers for more than three decades now. Small batches of this alcohol are typically made and can contain 40 to 80 percent alcohol by volume. Sutton was found at the age of 62 in his parked green Ford Fairmont with the engine running. Neal used footages from 'Mountain Talk' in his next documentary, 'The Last One.' An incident report filed by the Cocke County Sheriff's Department says that Sutton was discovered dead in his 1982 Ford Fairmont when his wife, Pam Sutton, returned from running errands. The couple had been married for over 50 years and had three children together. He received a five-year sentence. 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 . 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. 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. NFTs Simplified > Uncategorized > is pam sutton still alive. 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. Though Popcorn left no suicide note, his dramatic exit has transformed him into a martyr for his cause and solidified his legacy as the little guy whod rather die than let the Feds beat him. Hutchesons coffee table book style biography, The Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton is a glimpse into Popcorns wit, jokes and hillbilly way of life. The company that sold Popcorn Sutton branded products, on the other hand, continues to sell them directly to consumers. Patsy Sutton, wife of Eddie Sutton, dies at 74 | RSN Pam was a loving wife and mother who was always there for her family. To Grosser it seemed less like a sellout than the last swift move of a sharp entrepreneur. Over the course of his infamous career, Sutton faced a number of criminal complaints and convictions for moonshine-related crimes. Popcorn had just one question for the stranger. Interestingly, just a year after Sutton died, moonshining was legalized in the US. Since his death, he has been honored with a new company and whiskey brand named after him. Inspired by the story, Grosser suggested they partner on a distillery and sell Popcorns moonshine legally. Originally, he was buried in an isolated plot in western North Carolina near the graves of his parents. This led the firefighters to discover 650 gallons of untaxed alcohol. His recipe, on the other hand, still lives on and is produced at Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery in Kentucky. Popcorn has never been secretive about his tendency for making moonshine. This left Pam to raise their children largely on her own. Per NBC News, the famed moonshiner and bootlegger Popcorn Sutton died by suicide, possibly to avoid serving time in federal prison. It was said he did this to avoid the federal prison term that was supposed to start a few days later. Still, his name is synonymous with one of the countys greatest claims to fame: Real mountain moonshine. It is critical to follow his instructions and recipe in order to produce a moonshine that has the same flavor and characteristics as him. His wife, Pam Sutton, whom he married just two years prior, had returned from running errands when she found him. She even went so far as to testify on his behalf at his sentencing hearing. Im here to follow the path of Suttons exhumed bones and unravel the mystery behind this modern-day legend. He was a moonshiner and bootlegger from the United States Appalachian region. Sutton Popcorn Company retains the right to use the name in some capacity. "[3] His daughter said he had told her in advance that he would die by suicide rather than go to jail, adding that he had "the strength to die the way he lived: according to his own wishes and no one else's. Fontes arrived to find Popcorn Sutton fanning the flames of a still, which had exploded from a gas leak. 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. On the day of his death, a fan wrote on Twitter, "Toasting the passing of the famous moonshiner Popcorn Sutton. Since 2011, the show has followed the lives of individuals who produce moonshine in the Appalachian Mountains. We are not endorsed by, authorized by, or affiliated with any mentioned attractions. If you want to find legendary moonshiners, you should look for Popcorn Sutton, also known as Marvin. Jack Daniels claimed they copied the label and design of their product in violation of its intellectual property. Is Cutie Pie on 'Moonshiners' Still Alive? An Update on - Distractify Every time Sutton finished filling a barrel, he would give Nick a gallon and sell the rest to him. 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. Popcorn was one of a kind, a man who told it like it was! says Williams. Moonshiner dead in apparent suicide - Smoky Mountain News 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. The new law wasnt enacted to honor Popcorns legend, though. The sale included only the distillery, not the brands, which are owned by Popcorn Sutton Distilling LLC, which is based in Ohio. Popcorn Sutton, a moonshiner and bootlegger from 1946 to 2009, is regarded as an American legend. Popcorn Sutton Wife Death When the federal government tried to tax the stuff in the late 1700s, the mountainside distillers violently fought back in what became known as the Whiskey Rebellion. Pam creates handmade art glass and jewelry. His body was carried to its new resting spot by horse and carriage. He had pleaded guilty last April. I met Popcorn in a restaurant in Maggie Valley around 1997. Its a phrase he cut into his headstone when he was still alive. Sutton committed suicide 2 years after their marriage. Popcorn Sutton poses with one of his moonshine stills (photo shared with permission from Sucker Punch Pictures). 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. 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. So he Wooped the hell out of it with a pool stick. However, on October 24, 2009, it was relocated to his property in Parrottsville, and a private memorial service was held. 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. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us. Authorities suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. moonshine was legal in the United States for the first time in a year shortly before Popcorn Sutton died of cancer. Marvin was a kind of cultural icon and an embodiment of moonshine yore when it comes to producing the liquor. Popcorns attire rarely varied: overalls, a flannel shirt and gray brimmed hat, occasionally adorned with a squirrel tail. In 1985, he was convicted again for a felony assault with a weapon with intent, for which he received another three-year sentence. In addition to organizing the Mountain Music Festival and the Moonshiners Reunion, Bill plays the guitar and organizes gig events. Buyers came from miles around to sample his goods, and Popcorns celebrity grew.

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