Pam said that a few days later, after coming home from running errands, she found her husband dead in his Ford. On March 16, 2009, the 48-year-old Sutton committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. He wore a long gray beard, faded overalls, checkered shirt and feathered fedora. The new law wasnt enacted to honor Popcorns legend, though. While Popcorn was under house arrest, motocross star Jamey Grosser showed up unannounced at the cabin one day. I met Popcorn in a restaurant in Maggie Valley around 1997. Popcorn Sutton poses with one of his moonshine stills (photo shared with permission from Sucker Punch Pictures). Many moonshiners associate Popcorn Sutton with moonshine. While his standard moonshine tasted like sweet, buttery corn, his infusionspears, peaches, figs, black cherriescemented his greatness. 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? His wife, Pam Sutton, whom he married just two years prior, had returned from running errands when she found him. "I just hope and pray they don't send me off (to prison).". But Popcorn, who seemed unusually sullen to Grosser, had other plans. He had pleaded guilty last April. Over the course of his infamous career, Sutton faced a number of criminal complaints and convictions for moonshine-related crimes. 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. So he Wooped the hell out of it with a pool stick. Urban drinks are featured. This led the firefighters to discover 650 gallons of untaxed alcohol. Bill, who played guitar and harmonica on the show, died in early 2019 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Popcorn Suttons story is both tragic and a testament to the ravages of cancer that cancer can cause. 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. The federal govt. His white lightning wasnt just potent and sweetit was illegal. This is one of the internets most popular searches about Sutton. The charges also included tax evasion and transportation of an illegal substance. Soon after Sutton's demise, there were rumors that suggested his grave had been vandalized. Unfortunately, Sutton was not making enough money back then. But the real question isnt what he did in 1983 its about the many bouts with the law throughout the 1970s, 1980s and early 2000s. How do you explain Bill and JB from Moonshiners? Does the TV show make real moonshine? The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. This left Pam to raise their children largely on her own. (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. Interestingly, just a year after Sutton died, moonshining was legalized in the US. The operating hours, policies and procedures of other businesses may change at any time without notice. Popcorn Sutton - Wikipedia It was composed by photographer Don Dudenbostel. His self-published autobiography, Me and My Likker, described the amazing journey of moonshine production. If he liked you he liked you, and if he didnt, you better stay away, recalled Carver. Pam Sutton, who became Sutton's fourth wife in 2007, said carbon monoxide may be the method but that's not what killed him. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. [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." Throughout his life, Sutton proudly held on to his Scotch-Irish American ethnicity and boasted about the fact that he had moonshining in his blood. 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. You can also show off your personality to your friends and family by tasting it in a different way than any other spirit. Irwin told Sutton to run nothing but water through it. Jim Tom, his moonshine, was estimated to be worth more than $20 million. Hutchesons coffee table book style biography, The Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton is a glimpse into Popcorns wit, jokes and hillbilly way of life. Authorities began to investigate him without his consent. View the profiles of people named Pam Sutton. When she was just sixteen, Pam married Popcorn Sutton, a man eighteen years her senior. Autopsy results may be weeks away. His most recent conviction for selling over 650 gallons of moonshine resulted in him being placed on probation. We are not endorsed by, authorized by, or affiliated with any mentioned attractions. They should have been focused on crimes that out weighed hi. His money was running out, and many of his friends, he lamented, had stopped coming around. Aside from his white lightening, Popcorn was known for his crass language and feisty manner. As one legislator put it, The law is not making legal someone who wants to open a distillery in their barn. 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. Moreover, she is also not on social media which makes it further difficult to track down her life at present. 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. Crime, whiskey & homemade sex machines: The life, death and legacy of Popcorn Sutton, Americas greatest moonshiner. Fontes arrived to find Popcorn Sutton fanning the flames of a still, which had exploded from a gas leak. Sutton also had a daughter by the name of Sky Sutton. 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. NFTs Simplified > Uncategorized > is pam sutton still alive. When Popcorn Sutton was sentenced to jail in 2009 for moonshining, Pam stood by her husband. . She believes in elegance through simplicity, with designs that reflect harmony with nature and the occasional sly sense of humor. [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. [39] At the time of the announcement, it had not been decided whether the Popcorn Sutton brands would continue to be produced under contract by the distillery or not.[39]. He wasn't just a poor old moonshiner trying to make a few dollars.". 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. 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. 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. 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. It was Popcorns daddy, Vader, who taught him how to make and run the moonshine as deftly as the Suttons before him. 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. She has no doubt Sutton died on his own terms. Some speculated that Pam might have secretly moved the body. On Monday, she came home from running errands and found him dead in his old Ford. "All the rest of them that I know are dead," Sutton said in the profane, not-for-primetime clip. is pam sutton still alive - Hansmoeskraal.com He was 62 years old. To distinguish himself from the competition, he took pride in quality. I couldnt understand what he said. She hadn't seen him since she was 2, though they had talked on the phone. Whiskey consumption has grown over the last few years as people seek out new flavors and styles of moonshine. No bootlegger, however, would become as enigmatic as Popcorn. Popcorn lives on but now in a rural mountain in northern Tennessee. In the 90s he authored a ribald autobiography, Me and My Likker, which he sold on the Internet. 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. He said Nobody else could be that handsome We both laughed and he proceeded to tell me how he got his Name. Hi my Name is Angel. But how well do you really know the legend of Popcorn Sutton? His fate would be sealed in that manner. He was handed down light charges at the time, netting nothing more than probation. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Pretty dam sad if you ask me. Pam Sutton: The Wife Of A Moonshining Legend | Popcorn Carnival We have a lot of people come to Maggie Valley that want to meet Popcorn.. 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. by Loyola Martinez | Dec 28, 2022 | Popcorn. 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? I remember the blood gushing everywhere, she says. 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. Reports vary on why he was exhumed and reburied. He committed suicide in 2009 as a result of cancer treatment. In addition to being a wife and mother, Pam also worked as a waitress and a cook to help make ends meet. Whiskey is a great beverage to try if youre looking for something different. He comes from the old era, said Maggie Valley Police Chief Scott Sutton, describing Popcorn Sutton as the last of his breed. Damian Sutton, 2-year-old Mich. boy, dies after alleged beating from He was quite a Character. Angel Sutton is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Glen Sutton. Facebook gives people the power to share. 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. Someone of means is going to have to step up. As he once said, I dont bother nobody and nobody better damn sure not mess with me. It took his money, but didnt produce popcorn, eliciting a few swift blows from Sutton to crack open the machine. 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. Where Is Tommy Lee Now? His Life After Pamela Anderson, Spouse "The way she's breathing is just freaking me the f-k out, man" Josh said during the scary experience. 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. Popcorn Sutton Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements "He did it his way. 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. But the young cop, whod seen the ravaging effects of drugs and alcohol on the locals, didnt comply. At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Im here to follow the path of Suttons exhumed bones and unravel the mystery behind this modern-day legend. Its easy to spot Popcorn Sutton, also known as Marvin, if youre looking for legendary moonshiners. 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. 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.'. Pamela Sutton - Address & Phone Number | Whitepages What does this report reveal about the states with the most moonshiners? 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. The lawsuit was settled in 2014. 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 was a moonshine maker as well as Popcorn Sutton Moonshines creator, collaborating with his father. ", 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. , 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. Thus, it took him forever to clear his debts. [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. Pam Grier is the undisputed queen of the 1970s Blaxploitation films. 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. Since his death, he has been honored with a new company and whiskey brand named after him. 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. The nickname "Popcorn" was given to him in the 1960s or the 1970s, after Sutton attacked a broken popcorn vending machine with a pool cue. Small batches of this alcohol are typically made and can contain 40 to 80 percent alcohol by volume. However, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) raided the spots. It was an absolute honor to meet him. Editors Note: Many thanks to Sucker Punch Pictures for allowing us to use their incredible photos of Popcorn Sutton and his still for this article. he seemed to be a kind old soul. Sutton was in a live-in relationship with Ernestine Upchurch, who later helped him write his autobiography. 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] 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. Where Is Jungle Pam Hardy Now? Untold Facts About Jim - CelebSuburb Here are six interesting facts about his life that might just surprise you. ", Popcorn's death remains a topic of discussion this year, as another supporter said, "Remember the Feds killed Popcorn Sutton just because he made his own whiskey on his own land. Kobe Bryant's Parents: Where Are They Now? | Heavy.com 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. Famed Appalachian moonshiner Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton, whose incorrigible bootlegging ways were out of step with modern times, took his own life rather than go to prison, his widow says. 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. Pam St. Clement was born on May 21, 1942 and is 80 years old now. 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. The couple had been married for 25 years and had three children together. pic.twitter.com/V7dUdlJWQ8. "He couldn't go to prison. Pam was a loving wife and mother who was always there for her family. 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. Popcorn Sutton's wife, Pam, died in 2009 after a long battle with cancer. After meeting at a New Year's Eve party in 1994 . He was well-known in the entertainment industry for his stage name and custom copper stills, and he made a name for himself. The most notable thing about the grave? RIP. The Feds killed him. The boy's mother's boyfriend has admitted to beating the child and is expected to face additional charges His body was carried to its new resting spot by horse and carriage. He received a five-year sentence. Popcorn told him he sold that much all the time and, after bragging about his whiskey and his guns, sent the man away with 80 gallons of his own. $50. He used the freshest white corn for his mash and the coldest, cleanest stream water. So credit the federal government for my husband being dead, I really do," she said. He also had a coffin ready in his living room. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. [3] In the 1960s or 1970s, Sutton was given the nickname of "Popcorn" after his frustrated attack on a bar's faulty popcorn vending machine with a pool cue. On March 16, 2009, Sutton, a resident of Northbridge, England, died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. View the web story version of this article here. Pam St. Clement Death Fact Check, Birthday & Age - Dead or Kicking 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. We have found 168 people in the UK with the name Pamela Sutton. 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. Sutton was convicted of tax evasion after his property was damaged by fire in 2007. Its a phrase he cut into his headstone when he was still alive. 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. In 1999, he launched his self-published autobiography, 'Me and My Likker,' which also chronicled the incredible journey of moonshine production. Every time Sutton finished filling a barrel, he would give Nick a gallon and sell the rest to him. 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. From back rooms to barrooms, locals tell me sordid tales of Popcorns violent temper. But he was also the sweetest, kindest, most loving man I ever met in my life.". Back then, he lived on Snowbird Mountain. 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. As a result, the judge had reason to show him leniency. After he attacked a popcorn vending machine with a pool cue in the 1960s or 1970s, he was dubbed Popcorn by the media. Marvin was a kind of cultural icon and an embodiment of moonshine yore when it comes to producing the liquor. Popcorn Sutton Wife Death [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. 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. Read Also: Is Moonshiners real? "Popcorn is getting everybody drunk," the governor's Highway Patrol escorts complained and when Irwin told him to stop, Sutton packed up and left, Irwin recalled. Suttons will stated that the money was to be used to support the continuance of my lifes work. This work includes the production of moonshine, which is illegal in the United States. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States has released a report ranking the top moonshine states. A popcorn net worth of between one and seven million dollars is estimated for Sutton Popcorn. Making likker. Born In: Maggie Valley, North Carolina, United States, place of death: Parrottsville, Tennessee, United States, See the events in life of Popcorn Sutton in Chronological Order, (American Appalachian Moonshiner and Bootlegger), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tyS_HvhtyU&list=PLHk8dXrmYkn-hhIVi9dwmgJzD4v1sr35c&index=2, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13PsE_rQ74k, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohiSPSoG8tY, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glQjCKAI4gA, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfUDVqWMhWs&list=FL8CkDIqZ9eTNus6-gghDO_w&index=24. R.I.P Popcorn . 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. Newport Plain Talk, Cocke Countys local newspaper, originally reported the following arrests and convictions. Pams early years were spent working on her familys tobacco farm. During a fire in one of Suttons properties in 2007, firefighters discovered a large cache of untaxed liquor hidden in the attic. 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. He came from a long line of moonshiners, so bootlegging and moonshining have been his calling since he arrived on Earth. and including a lot of other shit came in this country illegal. He had got the footstone made in advance and had kept for years by his front porch. 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. They dated for a month before getting married. As only a legend would be, Popcorn Sutton was actually buried twice. [38], In 2014, Popcorn Sutton Distilling opened a new distillery in Newport, Tennessee, the county seat of Cocke County. Authorities suspect carbon monoxide poisoning. 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. 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. We can conclude from this that moonshine culture is still thriving in the southern United States. Released in 2008 and broadcast on 'CBS,' the documentary received a 'Southeast Emmy Award' in 2009. He seemed kind and good, not perfect but who is? For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. Concepts LLC and Pam Sutton, the widow of Hank Williams, to create a line of whiskey named after her. In 1974, he was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and charged with multiple violations. But this shit right here goes right back to the crooked shit that's been going on before I was born. And his bib overalls he always wore bib overalls. Popcorn may no longer be around to weigh in, but his final words appear by his new resting place near his cabin in the woods. 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 Popcorn Suttons death in 2014, Pam was left with a large sum of money. He published the book at his junk shop in Maggie Valley. Sutton died by suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning in March 2009, aged 62, rather than report to federal prison[according to whom?] "And then he got into it in such a big way. He ran a PVC pipe from the exhaust of his Ford Fairlane into his window and sealed it up with duct tape. "I think most people have a warm feeling for him, but he bragged so much about it (moonshining)," Irwin said. This is likely the event that spurred the internets 1983 search. Popcorn Sutton and his moonshine: 6 surprising facts (with pictures) 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. He went to his grave in a pine casket he bought years ago and kept in a bedroom. 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. Pam Sutton is the wife of the late Marvin Popcorn Sutton, who was a legendary moonshiner from the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee. 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. That man went out in a blaze of glory, and flipping his finger as we went," she said. Popcorns attire rarely varied: overalls, a flannel shirt and gray brimmed hat, occasionally adorned with a squirrel tail. Buyers came from miles around to sample his goods, and Popcorns celebrity grew.
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