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. 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. Both his father and grandfather were police officers and his career has . He published the book at his junk shop in Maggie Valley. Lunn and Henley and the other employees of the distillery became employees of the Sazerac Company. 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. The charges also included tax evasion and transportation of an illegal substance. In addition to being a wife and mother, Pam also worked as a waitress and a cook to help make ends meet. She was taken to upstate where she remained there for a a week and worked so hard to come home. Sutton was born Marvin Sutton, on October 5, 1946, in the tiny town of Maggie Valley, North Carolina, to Bonnie and Vader. Pam Grier is the undisputed queen of the 1970s Blaxploitation films. When I heard how Popcorn was treated and that he wanted me to be involved in carrying on his legacy, I was immediately in. Glass and Silversmithing Arts. [2] (A woman named Ernestine Upchurch, with whom Sutton had been living in the 1990s, later said she helped write the book. In 2009, he committed suicide to avoid going to jail, and because of his cancer diagnosis, he died. He was quite a Character. He said a Vending machine in a bar took his money and didnt give him his popcorn! Suttons money has been used to fund the production of moonshine and to support the people who make it. While Sutton made his career out of this illegal trade, his rise to massive fame didnt happen until he was about 60 years old. He was walking down the driveway coming toward me and told me, Hey, hey, hey, dont tell nobody what you seen here, Fontes recalls. We can conclude from this that moonshine culture is still thriving in the southern United States. Does the TV show make real moonshine? Moreover, she is also not on social media which makes it further difficult to track down her life at present. gotta love popcorns sarcastic wit. is pam sutton still alive - Nftcollectionlab.com 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. Damian Sutton, 2, has died at a Detroit hospital after being taken off life support. His white lightning wasnt just potent and sweetit was illegal. His mind would just not accept it. Clearly, the actress is still alive and well today, and she's been in remission for the . Where Is Pamela Anderson Now? Latest News On The 'Baywatch' Star Its a phrase he cut into his headstone when he was still alive. There is no doubt that JB and Bill will be fondly remembered as two exceptional individuals. To the fans and celebs who came from around the world to buy his booze, Popcorn was the banjo-picking cracker with the long beard, grimy overalls, and bawdy stories. Pam SUTTON | Australian Police "He did it his way. These states are all part of the southern United States. 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. My favorite place of hanging out, how not the kitchen! Sutton's daughter later revealed that Sutton had once told her mother that he would prefer dying than going to jail. 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. 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. [8][9] In 1998 his roadside store in Maggie Valley, NC was searched by state agents, who seized a moonshine still and sixty gallons of moonshine, and Sutton was again placed on probation with a suspended sentence. However, Sutton continued producing liquor barrels, and the business eventually grew more prominent. "[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. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, the states with the most illegal stills are Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. 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. Almost everyone who grew up in and around Cocke County, Tennessee is familiar with the legend of Popcorn Sutton. Moreover, there were several petitions made to reduce his sentence. He honed the perfection of the craft, much like his father and grandfather had before him. They dated for a month before getting married. My mother-in-law Pam Sutton suffered a massive stroke on 9/15/22. 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. "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. Pam said that a few days later, after coming home from running errands, she found her husband dead in his Ford. She believes in elegance through simplicity, with designs that reflect harmony with nature and the occasional sly sense of humor. The best way to make Popcorn Suttons recipe was discovered in a large quantity of instructions and tips. 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. Someone of means like Hank Williams Jr., an equity partner with Grosser and Pam Sutton in the Popcorn Sutton Tennessee White Whiskey distillery, which recently celebrated an opening with stars including Kid Rock, Zac Brown, and Travis Tritt. Pam has worked for NSW Police for 11 years as a General Administrative Support Officer. Let us know in the comments. Popcorn Sutton Wife Death How do you explain Bill and JB from Moonshiners? While unscrupulous moonshiners distilled their booze through antifreeze-caked radiator pipes (capable of killing a drinker), Popcorn used only new copper tubing. See top. He committed suicide in 2009 as a result of cancer treatment. Grosser was just like any other fanboy whod come to meet the living legend and buy some hooch. 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. Kobe Bryant's Parents: Where Are They Now? | Heavy.com Popcorn Sutton's wife, Pam, died in 2009 after a long battle with cancer. 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. Some Popcorn Sutton branded products can still be purchased directly from the original company. Facebook gives people the power to share. [2][10][11] The New York Times later called it "a rambling, obscene, and often hilarious account of his life in the trade". Today, Sky Sutton is a published author, historian and genealogist. View the web story version of this article here. Pam Sutton sits down with Rick to discuss Popcorn Sutton Popcorn Sutton was a moonshiner who was born in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. He went to his grave in a pine casket he bought years ago and kept in a bedroom. Bill, who played guitar and harmonica on the show, died in early 2019 after a lengthy battle with cancer. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. I sounded like absinthe. Popcorn Suttons wife, Pam, died in 2009 after a long battle with cancer. Probably because its still illegal to make shine. Since his death, Popcorn's persona and work have only garnered more attention due to a whiskey company named after him, Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey, and as we said before, his posthumous appearances on Moonshiners. The wife of Hall of Fame coach Eddie Sutton died Tuesday at a Tulsa hospital after suffering a stroke in December, according to officials at Ninde Brookside Chapel. Sky Sutton, Suttons daughter, is the daughter of Sky and Betty. Angel Sutton is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Glen Sutton. 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. It was an absolute honor to meet him. By deadorkicking.com Editorial Team. Sutton earned massive fame as a liquor king by the time he turned 60. She added that the prison sentence and a cancer diagnosis might have had influenced his decision. Bell Mary. Is Pam Sutton Still Alive As Hank Williams Jr. says of Popcorn, This guy was real Appalachian Americana. Fontes hadnt anticipated adding to Popcorns criminal record until April 24, 2007, when he spotted smoke billowing up from the woods. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Pam Sutton - Lions Automobilia Foundation 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. Assuming you have all of the necessary items and your climate is favorable for moonshine making, this is how much corn it will take to produce 5 gallons of liquor: 201 ounces of cracked corn 7 pounds of granulated sugar. Willie Nelson had him onstage at a local show, and Johnny Knoxville taped a visit to Popcorns cabin. How Old Is Pam St. Clement? Pam Sutton is the wife of the late Marvin Popcorn Sutton, who was a legendary moonshiner from the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Popcorn Sutton was married to Pam Sutton. 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. [40] The CEO of Popcorn Sutton Distilling is Megan Kvamme. The couple had been married for 25 years and had three children together. 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. 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. Yale New Haven Health names Pamela Sutton-Wallace as COO - YNHHS Popcorn Sutton Whiskey, Once Moonshine, Is Now Legal - The New York Times However, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) raided the spots. 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. The boy's mother's boyfriend has admitted to beating the child and is expected to face additional charges Manhunt: What happened to Colin Sutton? Where is he now? In 2007, Sutton was caught with over 650 gallons of moonshine by local Cocke County authorities. Previously, Pam was Chief Executive Officer at the University of Virginia Medical Center. If Suttons prison sentence seems light considering his many crimes, it was in part due to his age. Popcorn Sutton is an American legend! Moonshine is romanticized in folklore and in the movies, Cavanaugh declared. Would loved to have known Popcorn. He would sell a gallon of alcohol for just 6 dollars. In 2010, she began distilling and distributing Hank Williams Jr.s whiskey with him. Soon after Sutton's demise, there were rumors that suggested his grave had been vandalized. Unfortunately, Sutton was not making enough money back then. "It was beyond surreal," she said Wednesday. He often bragged that he ran more whiskey than Jack Daniel. He detailed his brew-making exploits in the book Me and My Likker, and in a self-produced video The Last Run of Likker Ill Ever Make. Hes even been known to autograph Mason jars of moonshine. One night I sit outside the Cocke County fire station, near Popcorns home in Parrotsville, Tennessee, swigging apricot moonshine with the fire chiefs stout, gray-haired wife. Children. However, Popcorn's estranged daughter Sky Sutton believed her father died by his terms.