Popcorn Icon
I'll be the first to admit this Blog hasn't been positive in some time. That's just something. It ain't design. Then, maybe this is not all that negative, but, sad.
Let me tell you. It's a part of culture here. People that make liquor here are held in a certain position of almost esteem. I don't drink, I've never been drunk and I've never done drugs.If you like you can blame that on both my not having a desire and spending all of my adult life in the Military. But allot of us here respect the Bootlegger. We have no disgust of them as drug dealers. There's a fascination that is well deserved with the Moonshiner. Quite simply, they're Rebels. And then, if you are from Southern Appalachia, there is someone within three generations of any side of your family that made it at some point or another. I'm the Grandson of two former Moonshiners. Knock on wood, I've not needed any cough medicine since I came home from Iraq.
Corn Liquor - Buck Owens - Corn Likker
One of Haywood County's most famous Sons has passed. Rest in infamy Popcorn Sutton, although you weren't bothering no one.
Popcorn was not "The Last One" as the producers of this clip say. Popcorn had become the poster boy of the Bootlegger. He is the closest thing to a pop icon that this region has ever produced. He surely looked the part to outsiders to the danger of stereo type and had natural charm that made him naturally likable. To tell the Truth, Popcorn didn't hide nothing. He was open as to what he did and what he was. Popcorn made liquor. He made liquor that he didn't pay taxes on that they were not going to collect taxes any how. He said he didn't want to go to jail and he won't.
It's a shame, he would have been a prime judge in my vision of the Southern Appalachian Corn Liquor Cook Off. We'll leave this on a bright side.
Southern culture On The Skids, Corn Liquor.
My sympathies to the Suttons.
The Appalachianist
Let me tell you. It's a part of culture here. People that make liquor here are held in a certain position of almost esteem. I don't drink, I've never been drunk and I've never done drugs.If you like you can blame that on both my not having a desire and spending all of my adult life in the Military. But allot of us here respect the Bootlegger. We have no disgust of them as drug dealers. There's a fascination that is well deserved with the Moonshiner. Quite simply, they're Rebels. And then, if you are from Southern Appalachia, there is someone within three generations of any side of your family that made it at some point or another. I'm the Grandson of two former Moonshiners. Knock on wood, I've not needed any cough medicine since I came home from Iraq.
Corn Liquor - Buck Owens - Corn Likker
One of Haywood County's most famous Sons has passed. Rest in infamy Popcorn Sutton, although you weren't bothering no one.
Popcorn was not "The Last One" as the producers of this clip say. Popcorn had become the poster boy of the Bootlegger. He is the closest thing to a pop icon that this region has ever produced. He surely looked the part to outsiders to the danger of stereo type and had natural charm that made him naturally likable. To tell the Truth, Popcorn didn't hide nothing. He was open as to what he did and what he was. Popcorn made liquor. He made liquor that he didn't pay taxes on that they were not going to collect taxes any how. He said he didn't want to go to jail and he won't.
It's a shame, he would have been a prime judge in my vision of the Southern Appalachian Corn Liquor Cook Off. We'll leave this on a bright side.
Southern culture On The Skids, Corn Liquor.
My sympathies to the Suttons.
The Appalachianist
posted by Hill Billy Rave | Tuesday, March 17, 2009
10 Comments:
When have you ever been sunshiney, A.I.? I think I've been around for a handful of years and have yet to see you that way. ;-)
Gotta admire someone who does their own thing and is comfortable in their own skin. That applies to both you and Popcorn.
I like the idea of a corn likker cook-off! Even though I'm from down east, there are moonshiners in my family, as well as sheriffs known for busting stills.
Prayers are with the family.
Do they still actively go after the moonshiners? I would think that that group has become such a part of the cultural history that other things would be allowed to be more important...namely meth cookers and mary jane planters.
Popcorn did it himself. He was found in his truck. Apparently carbon monoxide. The family is not going to have a funeral.
Murf, you've left me with no reply that I can think of. Thank You.
Pipsqeak, I think it just depends. You hear about a big bust every few years, but it's not common.
Sage, we won't hold those sheriffs against you. But, that's a good point, it ain't just a Moauntain thing.
I did not know the man but it seems he was well liked by all who took the time to know him.It seems to me that what our elected officials on the hill are doing with taxpayer dollars is no more criminal than what popcorn did. Yes he didn't pay taxes but than again neither did Geithner who now runs the countries treasury!
Did I say " Moauntain thing"? I dd.
Amen, Mare. And Welcome to Appalachian Patria!
You're thanking me for making you speechless? Believe me, it's my pleasure. ;-)
I can't drink it . . . it's too strong for me, but my father-in-law was once caught by the police . . . er, stopped in a '32 Model A Ford somewhere north, south, east, or west of Brevard with the whole car filled with Ball glass jars. He was asked what he was going to do with that many jars . . . heck, even I know what he was going to do with that many jars, I just wish I could remember what he told them. Once he retrieved a glass jar full of moonshine, and he asked me if I wanted a sip. It was so strong it took my breath away . . . really. It had been made by an artist, but like I said . . . I couldn't drink it. I hope you don't fine no mispelled words in thie here missle . . . missive. Bill
Bill, the stuff does burn hot. It'll burn the valves. You can definitely feel the stuff going down.
It literally took the air away from my nose . . . it was like you could not breath. Needless to say, I did not "sip" very much. It is not a criticism . . . it was "good" stuff . . . a very, very high proof. All the old sayings and comments could have been made about it . . . good enough to grow hair on stovepipe, etc. . . . the reason why they don't have yellow jack in the mountains. I was always proud of my father-in-law and his mostly true stories. Was it a 32 Model A Ford that Clyde Barrow drove? It took a whole family picking cotton and a good season of it to get that car . . . they were'nt bad people . . . maybe bad things were done with it, but I can understand it better than I can drugs and dope. Bill
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