is pam sutton still alive. 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. She has a Netflix doc, 'Pamela, A Love Story,' and book out now. However, he always received only probation sentences. USA Distributor of MCM Equipment is pam sutton still alive Popcorn grew up in Maggie Valley and called it home for most of his life, but had largely taken up residence in his later years in Parrrotsville, Tenn., the rural and sparsely populated country around Newport. From back rooms to barrooms, locals tell me sordid tales of Popcorns violent temper. Im here to follow the path of Suttons exhumed bones and unravel the mystery behind this modern-day legend. He also had a coffin ready in his living room. [35] According to press reports, Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey would be initially distributed in Tennessee and throughout the southeast. [3] [4] [5] He wrote a self-published . 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. 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. He seemed kind and good, not perfect but who is? But how well do you really know the legend of Popcorn Sutton? Since his death, a new company, as well as an associated whiskey brand, has been launched in his memory. 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. The most notable thing about the grave? She hadn't seen him since she was 2, though they had talked on the phone. Each piece is handmade in Pam's studio in Reno, Nevada. Popcorn Sutton grew up in the South-Eastern Appalachian region of the United States, and he was born in Scotland. 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. ", 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. Marvin was a kind of cultural icon and an embodiment of moonshine yore when it comes to producing the liquor. They were not invited. 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. Unfortunately, Sutton was not making enough money back then. [12][13]) At around the same time, Sutton produced a home video of the same title and released it on VHS tape. Sutton earned massive fame as a liquor king by the time he turned 60. Most of it happened in the last 20 years, if not longer. Back then, he lived on Snowbird Mountain. "He did it his way. Showed how to make moonshineHe wrote a paperback called "Me and My Likker" and recorded videos on how to make moonshine. He was a moonshiner and bootlegger from the United States Appalachian region. Pam was a loving wife and mother who was always there for her family. Crime, whiskey & homemade sex machines: The life, death and legacy of Popcorn Sutton, Americas greatest moonshiner. I can brag about one thing, Popcorn once said in his thick Southern drawl. R.I.P Popcorn . Here are six interesting facts about his life that might just surprise you. 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. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months of federal imprisonment. Sutton's memorial grew in spectacle as country music singer Hank Williams Jr. flew in to pay his respects. Pam has worked for NSW Police for 11 years as a General Administrative Support Officer. A small memorial was also held for close friends and family. He published the book at his junk shop in Maggie Valley. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us. That's a big problem because now look where we're at. 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. On October 25, 2013, Tennessee whiskey brand Jack Daniel's Properties sued Popcorn Sutton's whiskey brand for copying their newly redesigned bottle. by Loyola Martinez | Feb 25, 2023 | Popcorn. Fontes arrived to find Popcorn Sutton fanning the flames of a still, which had exploded from a gas leak. The couple had been married for over 50 years and had three children together. Marvin Suttons legend began when he beat up the snack machine with a pool cue. Pamela Sutton We found 100+ records for Pamela Sutton in NY, MI and 41 other states. He was a moonshine maker as well as Popcorn Sutton Moonshines creator, collaborating with his father. Ever since the death of her former partner Jim, Pam gradually avoided appearance in the media. Several seasons ago, Cutie Pie almost died after getting bit by a snake while exploring a possible still site with Josh, who had to rush her to the nearest veterinarian office. Birthday: May 21, 1942. Heres What You Should Know, 29 Best Restaurants in Pigeon Forge, Ranked [2023], Great Smoky Mountains National Park Entrance Fees, What You Should Know, Smoky Mountains in March: Events in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge [2023], A Simple Guide to Smoky Mountain Parking Passes, Park it Forward. His recipe, on the other hand, still lives on and is produced at Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery in Kentucky. After he attacked a popcorn vending machine with a pool cue in the 1960s or 1970s, he was dubbed Popcorn by the media. Sutton Popcorn Company retains their original use of this name. As he once said, I dont bother nobody and nobody better damn sure not mess with me. Grosser was just like any other fanboy whod come to meet the living legend and buy some hooch. She underwent surgery and began her first round of chemotherapy. Suttons money has been used to fund the production of moonshine and to support the people who make it. However, there is no doubt that Pam is a hard-working woman who has been through a lot in her life. From that moment on, the locals called him Popcorna reminder that this was one moonshiner you didnt want to cross. His zodiac sign was Libra, which is distinguished by assertiveness and submissiveness on both sides. Popcorn ran an antique shop in Maggie Valley as recently as a few years ago, where one could supposedly buy a jar of moonshine it they asked the right way. Sutton was convicted multiple times for selling moonshine without a license. [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. Later he and Sutton even built stills together, and during my visit Moore shows me one of many he recently made. Willie Nelson had him onstage at a local show, and Johnny Knoxville taped a visit to Popcorns cabin. moonshine is still a popular drink in the region, and visitors can still taste it. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. I sounded like absinthe. He was well-known in the entertainment industry for his stage name and custom copper stills, and he made a name for himself. [2][10][11] The New York Times later called it "a rambling, obscene, and often hilarious account of his life in the trade". We have found 168 people in the UK with the name Pamela Sutton. He later paid him back with liquor. She added that the prison sentence and a cancer diagnosis might have had influenced his decision. Did Popcorn ever have a wife? According to filmmaker Neal Hutcheson, Sutton remains an intriguing figure. Pamela M. Sutton-Wallace serves as Director of the Company. The federal govt. $50. A popcorn net worth of between one and seven million dollars is estimated for Sutton Popcorn. Some view him as a folk hero. In 2012, Hillbilly Hero and Tom Wilson Jester teamed up to release a photographic book about Sutton, 'The Making and Marketing.' Popcorn Suttons moonshine was renowned for its high quality, and he was known for his careful and traditional methods of production. 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. It was said he did this to avoid the federal prison term that was supposed to start a few days later. So credit the federal government for my husband being dead, I really do," she said. Originally, he was buried in an isolated plot in western North Carolina near the graves of his parents. They dated for a month before getting married. Sutton committed suicide 2 years after their marriage. But the young cop, whod seen the ravaging effects of drugs and alcohol on the locals, didnt comply. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. When he took it back home what happen to it?? 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: 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. Sutton, an infamous moonshiner, had been trying to outrun revenuers for more than three decades now. Aside from being gluten-free, the whiskey is also popular among those who have dietary restrictions. 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.". In 1999, he launched his self-published autobiography, 'Me and My Likker,' which also chronicled the incredible journey of moonshine production. In Maggie Valley, he opened an antique shop as a front, soon a destination for eager buyers from across the region. Per NBC News, the famed moonshiner and bootlegger Popcorn Sutton died by suicide, possibly to avoid serving time in federal prison. 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. Sky Moonshine, the estranged daughter of Sutton, published Daddy: The Story of Marvin Popcorn Sutton. He considered moonshining his birth rite. Some people have questioned whether or not Pam Sutton is worthy of the money she has been left. The company that sold Popcorn Sutton branded products, on the other hand, continues to sell them directly to consumers. My favorite place of hanging out, how not the kitchen! His thick shaggy beard and slight frame completed the prototypical image of a backwoods mountaineer. But even for this seasoned veteran of the force, Popcorn stood out. The life and persona of Marvin Popcorn Sutton, a world-famous moonshiner and North Carolina native, are known to all. He was methodical about his brand and making a living, Grosser recalls. 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. His moonshine was made from a recipe passed down through his family and sold in the back of his Ford Model A truck. 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. Soon after Sutton's demise, there were rumors that suggested his grave had been vandalized. 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. However, on October 24, 2009, it was relocated to his property in Parrottsville, and a private memorial service was held. Does the TV show make real moonshine? Neal used footages from 'Mountain Talk' in his next documentary, 'The Last One.' Authorities suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. These recipes were made with popcorn Sutton left behind, and they included a lot of instructions and instructions on how to make them. Almost everyone who grew up in and around Cocke County, Tennessee is familiar with the legend of Popcorn Sutton. Despite being on probation, Popcorn defiantly refused to give up his trade. Popcorn had just one question for the stranger. If you are going to produce moonshine, you must carefully follow his recipe and instructions. The best way to make Popcorn Suttons recipe was discovered in a large quantity of instructions and tips. he still left her $10 million in his will . The boy's mother's boyfriend has admitted to beating the child and is expected to face additional charges Read Also: Is Moonshiners real? However, prior to his death, she had not seen him in years. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/popcorn-sutton-46282.php. Reports vary on why he was exhumed and reburied. He had got the footstone made in advance and had kept for years by his front porch. 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. What finally brought him down, however, was a fire at his own home in April 2007 when a still exploded. [2] (A woman named Ernestine Upchurch, with whom Sutton had been living in the 1990s, later said she helped write the book. Drinks for urban drinkers If you want a mason jar to store Popcorn Suttons XXX Tennessee White Whiskey, you can also get it. In March 2008, Sutton informed an undercover federal officer about the moonshine gallons in Tennessee and Maggie Valley, which he wanted to trade. Then there was the alleged attack on Willie Ferguson, a local musician who reportedly made the mistake of crossing Popcorn. [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. We dont plan to change that model. Spouse. Since 2011, the show has followed the lives of individuals who produce moonshine in the Appalachian Mountains. 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. Pam said that a few days later, after coming home from running errands, she found her husband dead in his Ford. But this wasnt Santa Clausit was the towns most notorious outlaw, Popcorn Sutton, and he was passing out his annual present: a shiny silver dollar for each cop on the force. He always stayed true to his craft, Upchurch tells me, which was making liquor. "He couldn't go to prison. 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. Local authorities allegedly looked the other way, chalking it up to Popcorn being a community fixture. [7] This led to a raid of his property by the ATF, led by Jim Cavanaugh of Waco siege infamy. 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. Personally I think they should have left him alone and focus on what there real job is he didn't hurt nobody. Sutton died by suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning in March 2009, aged 62, rather than report to federal prison[according to whom?] Though he looked like Snuffy Smith, he had the mind of a mountain Edison and evolved his family still into an ingenious underground moonshine machine. "And then he got into it in such a big way. The states with the most moonshiners, on the other hand, are not among the top five for per capita moonshine production. Sutton was convicted of tax evasion after his property was damaged by fire in 2007. Authorities began to investigate him without his consent. Pam Sutton married Popcorn Sutton just two years before his death in 2007. After separating from his second wife Heather Locklear, Tommy met Pam and the two fell hard and fast. He received the nickname of Popcorn after he attacked a faulty popcorn vending machine with a pool cue out of frustration. As one legislator put it, The law is not making legal someone who wants to open a distillery in their barn. 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. Popcorn Sutton poses with one of his moonshine stills (photo shared with permission from Sucker Punch Pictures). Pretty dam sad if you ask me. As Fontes learned, Popcorn had a long history of cozying up to the police and avoiding prosecution for making untaxed whiskey. Then he cut on the engine and leaned back in his seat. Through it all, there was just one thing that guided him: his likker (as he liked to spell it). The book also offers a better understanding of how the people of the region survived. 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. View Pam Sutton results including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. It received a 2009 Southeast Emmy Award. Its a phrase he cut into his headstone when he was still alive. He was eating a piece of Blueberry pie. She told the Associated Press (per NBC): "He couldn't go to prison. He was really just a back hill shiner. 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. Fontes hadnt anticipated adding to Popcorns criminal record until April 24, 2007, when he spotted smoke billowing up from the woods. You can also show off your personality to your friends and family by tasting it in a different way than any other spirit. [7] He said he had considered a harsher sentence of 24 months, but had decided on 18 months after considering Sutton's age and medical condition. 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. [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. People in the community didnt know how close we was, and I wouldnt tell em, Moore admits. ", 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. 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. Distractify is a registered trademark. "All the rest of them that I know are dead," Sutton said in the profane, not-for-primetime clip. Is Pam Sutton Still Alive 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. The sale included only the distillery, not the brands, which are owned by Popcorn Sutton Distilling LLC, which is based in Ohio. Popcorn Sutton Wife Death Later, in 1981, Sutton was convicted and sentenced in the Haywood County Superior Court in North Carolina for felony possession of a controlled substance. She even went so far as to testify on his behalf at his sentencing hearing. See top. In this article we'll look back at her success and reveal what comes next for the hard-working Black actress. She was taken to upstate where she remained there for a a week and worked so hard to come home. Join Facebook to connect with Pamela Sutton and others you may know. After meeting at a New Year's Eve party in 1994 . Pam St. Clement was born on May 21, 1942 and is 80 years old now. His fate would be sealed in that manner. His parents lived in a wooden house in a mountain perched beside a tumbling stream. On October 24, 2009, his body was moved to his Parrottsville estate. Popcorn Sutton is an American legend! They had two daughters. On March 16, 2009, Sutton, a resident of Northbridge, England, died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. 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. 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. His mind would just not accept it. In fact, he came from a long line of bootleggers. I picked one up and realized the man sitting in the corner bye himself was the Legend ! He hated the persona, says his widow, Pam Sutton. To collect Popcorns original bottles, you can purchase them from eBay. Two of Suttons other documentaries, 'Popcorn Sutton: A Hell of a Life' and 'Squzz Corn N' Ole Scratch' (short), were released in 2014 and 2012, respectively, after his death. NFTs Simplified > Uncategorized > is pam sutton still alive. He became well-known as a liquor king well into his 60s. So there my personal opinion. Now known as one of Britain's finest detectives and police officers, Sutton actually comes from a long line of coppers. The Feds killed him. He went to his grave in a pine casket he bought years ago and kept in a bedroom. His archive footages were featured in the 2016 docuseries 'Moonshiners.'. As a result, the judge had reason to show him leniency. 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. He said a Vending machine in a bar took his money and didnt give him his popcorn! DE, Popcorn Suttons XXX Tennessee White Whiskey can also be purchased in a mason jar. His most recent conviction for selling over 650 gallons of moonshine resulted in him being placed on probation. Regina Sutton, his eldest daughter, recalls a time in her youth when her mom opened the cabin door to find a man with a butcher knife sticking out of his neck. 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. 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). The revised version of the book includes details of his death. The lawsuit was settled in 2014 with undisclosed terms,[37] and as of May 2016, the Sutton brand's bottle design has been substantially changed. It is also critical to use the proper amount of sugar in each batch of moonshine to make it safe to drink. In addition to being a wife and mother, Pam also worked as a waitress and a cook to help make ends meet. As part of his undercover investigation, an undercover federal officer discovered that Sutton had 500 gallons of moonshine in his possession. 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. Sutton appeared in several documentaries including This is the Last Dam Run of Likker Ill Ever Make (featured below). We were deeply saddened to learn of JB Raders and Bill Owens deaths. He said Nobody else could be that handsome We both laughed and he proceeded to tell me how he got his Name. The two made a deal to open Popcorn Sutton Distilling and sell his whiskey on the open market, taxes and all. Among his many documentaries was one that won an Emmy for its portrayal of his unique personality. 33 Years old foodie & cookie lover. 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. 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. This is likely the event that spurred the internets 1983 search. If you want to find legendary moonshiners, you should look for Popcorn Sutton, also known as Marvin. Every time Sutton finished filling a barrel, he would give Nick a gallon and sell the rest to him. Pamela Sutton's passing has been publicly announced by Good Sipler Funeral & Cremation Centre, Inc. in Reamstown, PA.Legacy invites you to offer condolences and share memories of Pamela in the Gue Pam creates handmade art glass and jewelry. "[21][22], Sutton's body was initially interred at a family graveyard in Mount Sterling, North Carolina. In March 2009, Sutton, 62, died of carbon monoxide poisoning. (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. 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. Pam was a loving wife and mother who was always there for her family. The couple had been married for 25 years and had three children together. However, in what has become a Sutton civil war, Regina and her supporters, including Popcorns former girlfriend Ernestine Upchurch, are fighting to get his remains back to his empty grave at the Bend of the River and reclaim his brand name. 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. He ran a PVC pipe from the exhaust of his Ford Fairlane into his window and sealed it up with duct tape. Fans Want to Know Why 'Moonshiners' Star Tickle Was in Jail Again! . Sutton had a long career making moonshine and bootlegging. "I think most people have a warm feeling for him, but he bragged so much about it (moonshining)," Irwin said. Both his father and grandfather were police officers and his career has . He was walking down the driveway coming toward me and told me, Hey, hey, hey, dont tell nobody what you seen here, Fontes recalls. Pamela and Tommy had a whirlwind romance. As Hank Williams Jr. says of Popcorn, This guy was real Appalachian Americana. 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. 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. 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. While his standard moonshine tasted like sweet, buttery corn, his infusionspears, peaches, figs, black cherriescemented his greatness. . A few hours earlier she had buried Sutton, 62, in a private ceremony in the mountains around Haywood County, N.C., where he grew up.