"Still Shinin' " - Popcorn Sutton Tribute RC Build | Moonshine Memories in the Appalachian North

Marvin “Popcorn” Sutton was a living, smoking, cussing, moonshining legend. Born October 5, 1946, in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, Popcorn came from a long line of Scots-Irish Appalachian bootleggers who didn’t see moonshining as a crime — they saw it as heritage. For him, running a still wasn’t breaking the law. It was the law — at least by mountain standards. He earned the nickname “Popcorn” after beating up a popcorn machine with a pool cue — a moment of frustration that somehow stuck. His rough charm and backwoods wisdom made him a folk hero: long beard, overalls, felt hat, raspy voice from a lifetime of smoking, and an unapologetic approach to life. He wrote a self-published autobiography Me and My Likker, sold VHS tapes out of his junk shop, and eventually became a cultural icon through the Emmy-winning documentary The Last One and later TV fame on Moonshiners. But the law eventually caught up. In 2009, facing 18 months in federal prison for illegally distilling spirits and firearm possession, Popcorn made a final decision — carbon monoxide in his truck, rather than a prison cell. He left behind a legacy of rebellion, craftsmanship, and Appalachian soul that still echoes through the hills. And now, in 2025, it echoes all the way to the top of Nova Scotia. This RC tribute build was filmed along a mossy creek bed here in Kings County, Nova Scotia — the northernmost reach of the Appalachian mountain range. The rocks, the ferns, the muddy tires — all of it feels like a northern cousin to Popcorn’s homeland. With the encouragement of Twisted-D, I modeled and 3D printed my own moonshine stills to ride in the back of this rig. And thanks to MauzyRock, I was reminded that it was time to pay homage to a man whose story shaped my youth. The build itself is a custom crawler — detailed with gold and blue, rugged tires, and a weathered driver who looks like he could’ve run shine in another life. The miniature stills in the truck bed are based on traditional pot still designs, inspired by what Popcorn would’ve built out of copper and grit in a hidden mountain hollow. This isn’t just RC. It’s storytelling. It’s preservation. It’s a man from Canada tipping his hat to a mountain outlaw who never wanted fame, just freedom. Popcorn Sutton might be gone, but he’s not forgotten. The likker may be digital today, but the respect is real. Rest easy, Popcorn. Your roads stretch farther than you ever knew. Build & Video by: RCSparks Studio Location: Kings County, Nova Scotia – northernmost edge of the Appalachian Mountains Still Design: Modeled in homage to Popcorn’s classic setups — stacked thump kegs, worm tubs, and cone tops Tribute Inspiration: Me and My Likker, The Last One documentary, Moonshiners series Legacy Remembered: Marvin “Popcorn” Sutton (1946–2009) – outlaw, musician, storyteller, and Appalachian icon