Popcorn Sutton: The last one

Earlier today Pam Sutton, the widow of legendary moonshiner and American icon Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton, shared the following photograph on the official Facebook page for the annual Popcorn Sutton Jam.

This is the very last photograph that was taken of Popcorn.  It was made the morning before his passing...

 

Pam Sutton elaborates: "This is one of the pictures that I don't like to share very much. You see, this was taken the day he left this world. This was my last image of him. I loved him so. If you look at his feet, you will see the jars that would become his first legal run. He was the first moonshiner to go legal in East Tennessee."

I will forever be lamenting that I never got to meet Popcorn Sutton in person.  Having come to meet and know several people who were in his life, I can't help but feel that it would have been a true honor to have gotten to know him also.

But his legend endures.  Every time I see his face show up in a meme on social media, or occasionally spot someone wearing a Popcorn Sutton t-shirt, I have to smile.  He was larger than life when he was with us and he casts a seemingly bigger penumbra since his departure.

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PBS documentary The Last One - about moonshiner Popcorn Sutton - is now on YouTube

The legend of Popcorn Sutton lives on!  Thirteen years after he tragically left us, Sutton is definitely not forgotten.  The "last of the old time moonshiners" has been the basis of many an Internet meme and last month was the now-annual Popcorn Sutton Jam in east Tennessee.  The man was the subject of a recent book packed with photos.  And word has it that his original recipe likker is selling well... legally of course.

For a number of years, North Carolina filmmaker Neal Hutcheson produced a series of documentaries for PBS featuring Popcorn.  Two months ago he posted onto YouTube a 2022 remaster of The Last One, which at the time was about Popcorn Sutton's alleged final brew of moonshine.  It's well worth a watch if you're at all a fan of Popcorn or have an interest in Appalachian culture.  It also boasts some awesome music!

 

Find more of Neal Hutcheson's work on his Sucker Punch Pictures YouTube channel.

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Georgia city hall has a moonshine still (and it's legal too!)

This honestly shouldn't have to be said again, 'cuz I've made enough fuss about it already. But even so...

Folks, I really, really can not help anyone to build, buy or otherwise acquire a moonshine still.

The hit TV series Moonshiners is in the midst of its second season and as last year, this blog is getting slammed with visits from good people looking for information about moonshining in general and about Popcorn Sutton in particular. I'm very honored that The Knight Shift has become such a popular resource for this aspect of Appalachian culture and the most famous practitioner of the art.

But, ummmmm... this sincerely is all that I can do at the moment, friends and neighbors. The moment that such information does become readily available, I'll not only post where you can buy stills but I'll publish blueprints and plans for them too! Hey, I wanna see how a thump keg works as much as anyone else, but right now my hands are tied.

Meanwhile in the mountains of Georgia, the craft continues. Albeit in a most curious location...

The Washington Post has a pretty wild story about moonshiners setting up shop in the town hall of Dawsonville, Georgia. Now lest anyone think that Dawsonville has gone bust and these guys are squatters spiting "the man", y'all should know that the 'shine is being brewed legally! Something of a joint venture between the distillers and the town, among other things to preserve the mythology of moonshine in this part of the country.

I really dig stories like this. But I'm also of a mind that this is a very astute move on the part of the Dawsonville town fathers. What with the way the nation's economy is going down the tubes and how local municipalities are financially struggling, it's encouraging to see a city manufacturing and selling a product with marketable value. Yup, when hyperinflation hits and a hamburger will cost $100 million, Dawsonville will have a serious item of barter on its hands :-)

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The 3rd Annual Popcorn Sutton Acoustic Jam begins TODAY!

It started as one evening's tribute in music and song of the memory of legendary moonshiner Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton. Last year it became a full-blown event that had to be moved to the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds, practically at the last minute because there was so much interest.

And this year, it's gonna be even bigger!

The 3rd Annual Popcorn Sutton Acoustic Jam kicks off this afternoon at 4 p.m. in Maggie Valley, North Carolina (about 40 minutes west of Asheville). At least fifteen bands will be performing country, bluegrass, a bit of everything in between. There will be tons of food and drink ("...but will there be moonshine?!"), merchandise for sale, loads more.

Unfortunately I will not be able to attend this year's festivities because of something else that I have to attend to this weekend. But I was at last year's Popcorn Sutton Acoustic Jam and had a rollickin' great time! It's only two dollars for admission. I can not recommend enough attending this event if you can at all make it to Maggie Valley this weekend! Here's the event's official Facebook page. Click on over for more information.

And if you go, please tell Miss Pam that Chris Knight says "Hey!" :-)

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"Popcorn Sutton the Moonshine Man"

The past several weeks have seen an exploding amount of interest in the life and art of Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton: the legendary brewer of moonshine. It will be three years next month that he left us... but Popcorn Sutton has gotta be smiling and laughing his butt off in Heaven at how his myth has grown down here on Earth! Ever since his family began legally selling Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey I've seen it going for $150 a jar on eBay. And then a few days ago Kellie Pickler introduced it to Ellen DeGeneres on national television, in a clip that simply must be seen.

Meanwhile, there are things going on behind the scenes that I've been sworn to secrecy on that... well, y'all will just have to wait and see how uberawesome this is all gonna be! I can tell you that the third annual Popcorn Sutton Tribute is set for Maggie Valley, North Carolina this coming summer and when I know more details I'll be sure to post 'em!

In the meantime, singer/songwriter Alonzo Pennington has written and recorded an awesome ballad about our favorite Appalachian moonshiner. So without further ado, here is... "Popcorn Sutton the Moonshine Man"!

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Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey: Where to buy it!!

This has been one of the crazier past few days in this blog's history. Ever since Discovery Channel aired the final episode of its hit series Moonshiners a few nights ago the traffic to The Knight Shift has been ginormous! Seems that all the writing I've been doing over the years about Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton has put me on the radar of likker lovers across the Intertubes. Since the Moonshiners finale aired many of those - and quite a lot of new readers - have been coming here with but one question above all others...

"How can I get some of that Popcorn Sutton moonshine???"

Here's the post that I made back in October when Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey first went on sale. Look at all those comments that have been left since the other night. That ain't even half of the correspondence that's been coming in to my e-mail address (one reader shared a rather interesting story about getting caught making 'shine in Saudi Arabia).

Okay well folks: I can't directly help procure Popcorn Sutton's moonshine white whiskey for you. But I can now point you to a resource that'll help you locate it for legal sale!

The OFFICIAL website for Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey went full-blown LIVE yesterday. When you get past the age-gate you can find plenty more information about Popcorn's life, his trade, aaaaaaand a page with locations of places now selling Popcorn's legal likker! Right now there are only three places listed, each of them in Tennessee (one in Knoxville, one in Nashville and the remaining vendor in Memphis). I am also receiving unverified reports that it has been spotted elsewhere as well (including one possible location in Charlotte, North Carolina). Anyhoo if you're hellbent on getting some of Popcorn Sutton's good stuff, your best bet is gonna be with visiting the website and going from there.

And in case anyone is wondering, I have not yet been able to treat myself to any of Popcorn Sutton's moonshine (regardless of what it's called). I'm not a drinking man by any stretch but for this, I do plan to make an exception. I figure I can't very well write as much about the man as I have and not sample his craft. I'm hoping to fix that soon however. Expect a write-up about it soon. And if y'all are really good there might even be some accompanying video :-)

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Watch MOONSHINERS on Discovery Channel tonight! So sayeth Popcorn Sutton's widow!

Recent events in my personal life have kept me from watching Discovery Channel's new hit series Moonshiners, but many have told me that it's a most excellent reality series about those free souls who make likker in true Appalachian style!

I shall however be tuned in tonight (as well as having my DVR set to record) as I have just received word straight from Pam Sutton, the lovely and vivacious widow of moonshining legend Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton, that tonight's episode is supposed to feature Popcorn rather heavily.

I can attest that interest in Popcorn Sutton is soaring of late, as this blog is getting slammed with visits from people Google-ing about Popcorn and his trade. But I should also note that nowhere on The Knight Shift (so far that I know of) can there be found plans to build a moonshine still of one's own. And trust me: people are looking around here :-P

Incidentally, I have also received word that the Third Annual Popcorn Sutton Tribute is set for the first weekend of this coming August! I was able to attend the one this past summer and... well let's just say if last year's second one is any indication, the town of Maggie Valley has a huge, huge thing on its hands that is primed to become a major regular regional event. Will post more as we get closer to summer.

In the meantime, Moonshiners runs at 10 p.m. tonight on Discovery Channel!

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