Popcorn Sutton was a great personality who is remembered for his roles in different documentaries and it was also the reason for his fame. Unfortunately, Popcorn is no more. Today, I will dive a little deeper into the details of his life, death and net worth, so stay with me!
Popcorn Sutton Bio:
Sutton was born on October 5, 1946 in Maggie Valley (North Carolina, USA). His fatherβs name was Bonnie whereas his mother was Vader. They were called mountain people given the place where they lived. Moreover, they were hard working people and they were known exactly for this. Suttonβs family lived in a wooden house which was located beside a stream. Bonnie was into playing fiddle whereas Vader loved to play spoons. As far as his sister is concerned, they both were the dancers. Unfortunately, Popcorn passed away on 16th March 2009 in Maggie Valley.
Career:
Popcorn belonged to a line of moonshiners, this says a lot about his career which consists of bootlegging and making moonshine. He used to lay the legitimacy of his own work to his descendants. One of the many things which characterized his career was his involvement with the law. There were many times when he was found on the wrong side of the law.
In 1974, he got his first conviction for selling untaxed liquor. After this in 1981 and 1985, he got arrested for keeping controlled substances and for assault with a weapon. Due to his luck, he was only put on probation.
In 1999, Popcorn wrote an autobiography and guide to moonshine production. It goes by the name βMe and My Likkerβ. Copies of his autobiography were sold in Maggie Valley. The same biography was converted into a video and got released on VHS tape.
In 2002, Sutton made his very first appearance in a feature film which was Neal Hutchesonβs documentary, Mountain Talk. He got lucky and got himself in another Hutchesonβs film βThis is the Last Dam Run of Likker Iβll Ever Make. This proved to be the major turning point for his career and life. The film quickly gained the status of being a classic and drew the attention of many TV producers located in New York and Boston.
Unfortunately, 2007 didnβt prove to be a lucky year for Sutton as he got involved in legal trouble again. There was a fire in his property located in ParrOttsville and when firefighters tried to put the fire out, they found 600 gallons of untaxed alcohol from there. He was once again arrested and was put on probation. Last but not the least, he was featured in documentaries like Hillbilly (2007) and The Last One (2018).
Personal Life:
Popcorn got married to Pam Sutton two years before his death. Pam said that they both got married after 1 month of dating. Destiny had other plans for them as their marriage lasted only for 2 years before Popcorn committed suicide.
Popcorn and Pam had two daughters. Sky Sutton wrote her own book with the name Daddy Moonshine and got it published. She lives in Massachusetts and hadnβt seen her father since she was 2 years old.
Popcorn Sutton Net Worth 2024:
Despite all other things, the most interesting question which pops up is regarding Popcorn Sutton’s net worth. It has been estimated that he had a net worth of $13 million. The major contributions to his net worth were made by his salary and his liquor business.
Name | Popcorn Sutton |
Date of Birth | 5th October 1946 |
Place of Birth | Maggie Valley, North Carolina, USA |
Date of Death | 16th March 2009 |
Age | 62 Years |
Occupation(s) | Moonshiner, Bootlegger |
Work | Popcorn Suttonβs Tennessee White Whiskey |
Spouse | Pamela Sutton |
Children | 2 |
How Did Popcorn Sutton Die?
The death of Popcorn Sutton is an unfortunate incident to discuss. In March 2008, secret agents made another raid on one of his properties. 500 gallons of moonshine was discovered from Tennessee while 400 gallons from Maggie Valley. Due to this, he got arrested and convicted to 18 months in federal prison.
Popcorn made a request to serve his sentence under house arrest but unfortunately the judge declined his request. It was due to his probation and conviction. Moreover, Popcorn featured in films which were surrounded by firearms and also demonstrated how to make illegal moonshine.
Sutton wasnβt ready to face Federal imprisonment and he got no way to escape other than committing suicide. He committed suicide by Carbon monoxide poisoning on 16th March 2009. Soon after his death, his body was buried at a family graveyard. Later, it was relocated to his property in ParrOttsville. A proper public memorial service was held with all the people present.
Popcorn Sutton Whiskey Business:
Sutton had his Whiskey business going on since the early 2000s. The business included making and selling moonshine in small-batches. Popcorn was the first person to start this business. The Whiskey business received much success and it started selling apple pie moonshine, barrel-aged whiskey and white whiskey.
There is no doubt that Popcornβs whiskey is prepared from top quality ingredients. Popcornβs whiskey not only provides high-quality spirits but is also a way to connect with rich Appalachian culture. Even after Suttonβs death, the company still shows loyalty to his original vision and provides the best whiskey of all time.
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Popcorn Sutton Grave:
Popcornβs grave is an interesting topic to continue. The reason why I said this is because his grave is a bit different from others. His grave is a simple granite headstone which has the following words written on it. βPopcorn Said F**k Youβ. People visit his grave to pay a homage to the life he actually lived and the great legacy that he left behind.
Popcorn Sutton Social Media:
Conclusion:
Sutton really proved to be the legendary moonshiner of his time. He took roles in many documentaries and films which increased his fame over time. Apart from this, his Whiskey business also has a special mention whenever we talk about him. His death was an unfortunate experience but the time he lived was actually a great one for him.