Saturday, April 28, 2007
One of our local celebrities had done been busted by the revenuers.
Famed author, Cocke county resident and moonshine expert Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton of "Me and My Likker" fame is scheduled to appear in court on May 9th to face charges for possession of untaxed liquor and possession of a still or operating parts of a still.
We aren't sure why everybody thinks he's from Maggie Valley...Popcorn Sutton stories are legendary and go far back in Cocke county. He does have an antique store and keeps an address there.
Seems that despite the numerous public declarations that he is only an expert at the fine art of illegal distilling and couldn't even lift a 25 pound bag of sugar or manage a still operation with his bad back an' all, that the smooth stuff Popcorn makes with such skill is still flowing. Or at least it was until just this past Wednesday.
Evidently, what happened is...one of his still sheds outbuildings on his property in Parrotsville caught afire while he was not home. The Cocke county fire department and the local volunteer fire department showed up to put out the blaze before it could burn up the rest of the buildings on the property. And then, of course, the sheriff's department shows up and it all went downhill from there.
Popcorn showed up and asked them very nicely not to tell anyone about the three large stills, assorted copper tubing, big bags of sugar and grain, and the many gallons of white corn likker found there. But they evidently didn't listen.
All in all, just another typical day in Cocke county.
I do feel sort of bad for Popcorn. He's really a moonshine artisan. The stuff he makes is a fine science and an art.
"If you ain’t got the proper equipment to start with‚ then you don’t need to get in the business‚ because you don’t need to kill a bunch of people and make ‘em sick‚” he said· “I wanted to make a product that they’d come back and see me when they got that drunk up."Since the advent of meth labs and large scale marijuana growing operations in our fair county, fellows like Popcorn are a dying breed. They aren't making gobs of money doing this, it is purely for the art when made the way Popcorn makes his whiskey. He's really a national treasure of sorts.
This is his third run in with the law. The last one was in 1998.
Amazon doesn't have any copies of his book available right now, but you may be able to order them or any of his videos from : Popcorn Sutton‚ P.O· Box 382‚ Maggie Valley‚ N.C.‚ 28751·
These ol' boys would do well to pass along their skills at distillin' so's the young folks could go legit and make ethanol for us locals- some of the old guys are interested in doing just that.
There's one I know who has beaten federal charges four times. They never got it to stick.
goat yoda
CNN - pfft, those mountains are much more full of news.
Erica, it varies widely depending on who makes it. The stuff I've had locally is pretty good. They are doing some odd things with flavorings these days...Appleshine, licorice flavored...mostly this sort of seems icky to me. Friend Scott has sampled most of this stuff. I like it to soak and make fruitcakes with, make vanilla extract and to make cordials and cough syrup. In a recent pot bust, they found jars of the stuff with pot steeping in it. The locals favor a marijuana tincture that they make with it. And with a few modifications...you can run your car with it. Very useful stuff.
For the record, I have no direct contacts with the moonshiners. I generally have gentleman friends pick up my supply.
I've been wanting to write about them, but I'm afraid I'd put any sources I might use in danger...so I'm not developing any contacts in this area.
I've always wanted to try some until I read Suttree.. the folks in that book drank what sounded like a concoction of kerosene and rubbing alcohol. I'm afraid I value my vision too much. Now, if YOU start making it I'd try it. :)
Honored to have you stop by Miss Sutton. I do understand the differences between your father, the man, and your father, the ersatz folk hero. Believe me...I've heard the stories. I think he very much appeals to people who love a rebel. And he is very colorful, you must admit.
I am also able to separate my father from the legend that's been shored up around him. I think it's pathetic that this man is being defended. A REAL moonshining artisan wouldn't get caught by squeeling on HIMSELF. Marvin got caught by his own ego. He's not a legend- he's a myth.:)
He'll be happy you blogged about his bust. He gets print outs of his on-line material brought to him so he should see this. Hi, Dad!
SHE should sell his artful cook book...
I can't help but wonder how much actual moonshine they found versus how much will make it into evidence. This is Cocke County after all, the county where they bust you for drugs then sell your own drugs back to you while you're in jail.
All this talk is making me want to go under the sink. I've got a jar gathering dust that might need a little attention.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/ls-moonshine-moonshine-whiskey--/story.aspx?guid=%7B832F470A-795C-4C92-80EE-46975709B721%7D
(or google: ls moonshine)
Rosie,I would highly appreciate it if you could help me to contact Mr. Sutton or his family.
If anyone knows how to contact Mr. Sutton, please send me an email.
Thank you all.
Tong Li
admin@lsmoonshine.com
revenuers suck. Like our federal government doesn't have better things to do. But we keep making them bigger and fatter, and creating new departments for them to run and staff. Defend the country, deliver the mail, I'm thinking that's about enough for them to handle.