Bootlegging and moonshining career
Sutton's career in
bootlegging—and getting caught for it—extended back to the 1970s.
[2] In 1999, Sutton published
Me and My Likker, an autobiography and guide to moonshine production.
[4]
Around the same time he produced a home video by the same name and
released it on VHS tape. His first broadcast appearance was in Neal
Hutcheson's documentary, "Mountain Talk," in 2002.
[5]
Sutton next appeared in the film that would become the cornerstone of
his notoriety, "This is the Last Dam Run of Likker I'll Ever Make."
Filmed and released in 2002, "The Last Run" quickly became a
cult-classic and over time drew the attention of television producers in
Boston and New York. The source footage from this project was re-worked
into the award-winning documentary "The Last One," released in 2008.
[6][7][8]Sutton was featured in a 2007 documentary
Hillbilly: The Real Story, on
The History Channel.
[1] In November 2010,
Hank Williams, Jr. announced a partnership (including Sutton's widow) to distill and distribute Sutton's whiskey legally for the first time.
[9]
Sutton considered moonshine production a legitimate part of his
heritage, being as he was Scots-Irish and descended from a long line of
moonshiners.
[2] In January 2009, after an ATF raid led by Jim Cavanaugh of
Waco fame,
[citation needed]
Sutton was sentenced to eighteen months in a federal prison for
illegally distilling spirits and possession of a firearm as a felon.[10] Sutton, 62 and recently diagnosed with cancer, pleaded with the U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer
to let him serve his sentence under house arrest. Several petitions
were made in attempts to reduce or commute Sutton's sentence, to no
avail.
Death
| “ |
He was
a short, skinny fella, who always wore his hat—that was kind of his
claim to fame, his hat that he always wore. And his bib overalls—he
always wore bib overalls. Even when he came to federal court, he was
wearing bib overalls. 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.' |
” |
—Ray Snader on "Popcorn" Sutton, 2008.[11]
|
Sutton committed
suicide by
carbon monoxide poisoning
on March 16, 2009, apparently to avoid a federal prison term due to
begin a few days later. On October 24, 2009, Sutton's body was relocated
from his original grave site in Mt. Sterling, North Carolina, to his
home in
Parrottsville, Tennessee,
providing an opportunity for the first public memorial service to be
held. He traveled to his final resting spot by horse and carriage.
Sutton's memorial grew in spectacle as country music singer
Hank Williams, Jr. flew in to pay his respects. It was a small memorial only for close friends and family.
[12]
Nickname
In the 1960s or 70s, Sutton was given the nickname of "Popcorn"
Sutton after damaging a bar's faulty popcorn vending machine with a
pool cue.
[1]
Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey
On Nov. 9, 2010,
Hank Williams, Jr.
announced his partnership with J&M Concepts LLC and widow Pam
Sutton to distill and distribute Sutton's whiskey legally for the first
time.
[9] Dubbed "
Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey,"
it is produced on stills designed by Sutton using his secret family
recipe and techniques Sutton entrusted to former Supercross professional
Jamey Grosser of J&M Concepts.
[13] 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.
[14] According to press reports, Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey will be initially distributed in
Tennessee and throughout the southeast. The copper stills were handcrafted by Vendome Copper and Brass in Louisville, KY.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popcorn_Sutton
More Popcorn:
popcorn loves his cats http://youtu.be/8HcQV6_d09Y
four damn fights per pint! http://youtu.be/h1EQdUvGCGY
hill-billy dish washer http://youtu.be/UxBX1QLhP2w
Johnny Knoxville Interviews Popcorn Sutton
pussy and gas education the guy from jackass did what he could but it was not enuf.. http://youtu.be/0b5mW2QF6H4
I wish more could have be done but the system Got him him..
From six years old... http://youtu.be/5QAoSxj4yaY
P.S. Go out and buy the video! some of your money will go to the Sutton family.
