Page 40 - Blairsville NCG 2022
P. 40
Moonshine goes legit in Blairsville
By Michael Hall
eave it to an outlaw to make the Jennings and bandmate Jerry Bridges produced
best moonshine in the North an album for Townsend years ago that will be released
Georgia Mountains. for the first time in early 2022 by Audium Nashville.
In the case of Tommy Townsend, though, He may not want to copy Jennings in his music,
there’s no running from authorities in souped-up but Townsend proudly copies his grandfather, Jack
cars, or hiding stills deep in the hollows of the McClure, in making moonshine at Grandaddy
Southern Appalachians. Townsend is making Mimm’s, which he opened in 2016. McClure, known
legitimate, legal liquor at Grandaddy Mimm’s by his grandchildren as Mimm, or Mimmy, was a
Distilling Co. in Blairsville. legendary moonshiner, the kind who hid stills in
Townsend’s outlaw status was earned via the the woods, sold illegal liquor out of the back of beer
Tommy company he’s kept, which includes a musical joints, and generally operated outside the law. Mimm
became regionally famous in the process.
Townsend friendship with the late outlaw country music
legend, Waylon Jennings. Townsend began playing “He was an entrepreneur,” Townsend
music when he was five, long before any aspirations said, chuckling.
to make moonshine had sparked. As a child he
played drums and sat in with local legends John Nix
and the Country Cousins at events like the annual
“It’s his recipe, and we make Sorghum Festival, which has been held for more
than 50 years in Blairsville.
“I was so little, when they set me up on the drum
everything with spring water stool, I couldn’t reach the pedals,” Townsend said.
“So I just played snare drum and cymbals.”
from my parents’ farm. Actually, career was off and running. Townsend now leads
By 13, he was playing the guitar and his musical
the spring water still supplies Waymore’s Outlaws, which he fronts for Waylon
Jennings’ former band.
my parents’ house.” playing and singing Jennings’ tunes. “You can’t fill
“We’re not a tribute band,” Townsend said of
Waylon’s shoes. I don’t try to copy Waylon. I try to
do it as my own thing.”
Tommy Townsend, Owner of Grandaddy Mimm’s
36 Grandaddy Mimm’s Distilling Co.
