Friday, October 23, 2009
Boy, am I tired! Just got back from the Asheville Animal Fiber Festival. Rode in with Betsy the Goat Yoda, her daughter and grand-baby. Lots of cool stuff. I bought a drop spindle and am going to try to learn to use it. Took some piccies and will report more on that in another post.
Saw something amazing driving in. An albino wild turkey. That's not something you see every day. Turkeys are everywhere this time of year.
My insomnia has been kicking my butt in a major way and swore I was going to use Saturday as a sleep day--even if I had to drug myself into insensibility. But it's a busy and predictably bizarre time in Cocke County and it looks like I'm going to hit the road to cover even more Popcorn Sutton craziness. His widow had him dug up and is having another memorial service. She's having him buried at a secret location--because she was afraid his grave up on Mount Sterling would be vandalized. Hank Williams Jr. is attending the memorial in Dandridge. I'll probably try to make the procession through Parrotsville. History Channel will be there--they can't seem to get enough of Cocke County.
Anyway--off to bed with me.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Popcorn Sutton was found dead in his home today from apparent suicide. He was 61. There will be an autopsy tomorrow at UT to confirm the cause of death. He was scheduled to turn himself in this Friday to begin his 18 month sentence in federal prison for felony possession of a firearm and illegal distilling of liquor.
There have been some accidental deaths in Cocke County recently due to one of the newer prescription pain killers--one that evidently isn't as forgiving as oxycontin to being crushed, snorted or taken with liquor. If they do find drugs in his system--and Lord knows Popcorn had legitimate reasons to take them--there's no telling unless Popcorn left a note. They say he was very afraid of dying in prison. So he may indeed have decided to check out early.
Thus passes a true Cocke County original.
J. J. Stambaugh's Coverage on KnoxNews
Monday, January 26, 2009
My friend Lee's drawing of Popcorn
If you want to know more about what Popcorn Sutton does, there's a documentary running of the Documentary Channel called The Last One. The director, Neal Hutchinson, sent me a copy and it's a really wonderful documentary on the traditional way moonshine used to be made up here in the hills.
Now, I've seen photos of Popcorn's more current installations and know they don't resemble anything like this...The Last One is more about the way 'shine was made back in the day. And Popcorn has a dying swan tendency to proclaim he's making a "last" run, but as his court sentence proves, it's his inability to stop making illegal liquor that's the problem.Filmed in the mountains of North Carolina, The Last One is a journey deep into Southern Appalachia, and Appalachian culture, as seen through the lens of a mason jar. Lifelong moonshiner Popcorn Sutton returns to the southern highlands in his treasured A-Model Ford to seek a suitable location to run one final batch of traditional bootleg whiskey. Through the laborious process of clearing a site, building a furnace, brewing corn mash and distilling high proof moonshine, Sutton reveals the craft of traditional distillation as practiced by his forbears and reveals a lifetime of memories in the trade.
You can pick up a copy of The Last One at Neal Hutchinson's Sucker Punch Pictures. It's a good historical A to Zed of setting a still up and the music is really good too.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Photo originally uploaded on Suffering the BenzWhen last we checked in with renegade moonshiner and folk legend, Popcorn Sutton, state authorities had arrested him after his stills exploded due to an electrical problem, setting fire to the surrounding buildings. He was convicted on state charges and put on probation. This was last April.
This past Thursday, the ATF paid a personal house call on Sutton and found him in full production with three 1000-gallon stills and 850 gallons of finished product on hand. He evidently also sold 300 gallons to an undercover agent and promised another 500 gallons. Oops.
So, Popcorn Sutton sits in a jail cell in Greene County. There will be a hearing on the 28th to determine if he should remain in jail pending the trial.
James Cavanaugh, ATF Special Agent in Charge, said, "The truth, though, is that moonshine is a dangerous health issue and breeds other crime."
Because we all know how safe the legally taxed liquor is—no one ever having contracted cirrhosis or other alcohol related diseases and no one certainly has ever beaten their spouse or combined firearms with legally taxed liquor. Right?
I have not formally met Popcorn. The last time I saw him was in Food City a few months ago. He was checking out of the express lane and I was trying to find the shortest non-express lane. There are always checkout lines at the Food City across from the library.
He is an itsy-bitsy little gnome of a man—not more than 110 pounds probably. His trademark beard gives him width, making him appear larger than he really is. He does not look well for a man of 61 years and he leaned heavily on his shopping cart the day I saw him.
It remains to be seen what exactly is going to happen. What I know is from the rumor mill and completely unsubstantiated. The local folk think he probably is going to serve time. When the bust back in April occurred, it was strange that only 40 or so gallons were found in the aftermath of the fire. Everyone knew it was a large-scale operation. There was also little doubt that he would be up and running again before the first court case was resolved. Each still costs around 10,000 dollars, so, they represent quite an investment.
Another interesting thing that is said is that Popcorn supplies product for the Tennessee State House and even inside the Beltway in DC. There is a “little black book” out there somewhere. Not that buying the stuff is a huge crime, though it is illegal to possess it. It just would be interesting to see exactly who Popcorn’s clients are—the ones who are buying in such large quantities.
Love him or hate him--here are some Popcorn Sutton links:
Newport Plain Talk
WBIR--Local moonshine icon busted again
Suffering the Benz
Appalachian Scribe
Hillbilly Savants
Sky Sutton's Blog
Knox News--The law gets notorious moonshiner Popcorn Sutton - again
Knox News--Moonshiner faces new charges in federal probe
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
So, once again, I've missed a program that I was supposed to watch. I was wondering where all the hits for Pastor Jimmy and Popcorn Sutton were coming from. And why a production company out of the Midwest was caching the entire blog.
But a new reader filled me in.
This past Sunday the History Channel aired "Hillbilly The Real Story".
The two-hour special, hosted by celebrity Billy Ray Cyrus, brings these mythic people to life through stories that span 300 years. Outcast immigrants, war heroes, isolated backwoodsmen, hard working miners, fast moving moon shiners, religious warriors, musicians and statesmen make up the rugged cast of characters.
I assume this is the program that they were filming all day during Pastor Jimmy's homecoming celebration. Popcorn Sutton is evidently in it. Hopefully my mug will not be getting in any shots, but it would be nice if they got Friend Scott singing.
But not to worry...they are re-airing it tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. and at 2:00pm.
I've heard some mixed reviews about whether or not they got it "right" or not.... but will reserve comment until I've actually seen it. Not sure about the use of his Achey-Brakey-ness for a narrator. I guess Wilford Brimley was booked.
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·
