You’ve probably heard of Uncle Nearest Whiskey, but how well do you know the Black woman behind the multi-million dollar company?
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Fawn Weaver has broken out of any and all expectations set for her. From being homeless to now running one of the fastest growing businesses in the country, it’s safe to say we can all probably learn a thing or two from her!
Despite the pressure of COVID-19 and an ongoing $100 million lawsuit, Weaver continues to hold her head high. And if you want to know exactly how she’s managed thus far, just take a look at her incredible story…
Who Is Fawn Weaver?
Weaver was born and raised in Pasadena, Calif. to Frank and Philomina Wilson, she told Voyage LA. Her father notably worked for Motown Records and was asked by Berry Gordy to open up a second Motown in Los Angeles. Wilson eventually decided to go into ministry.
“I was always surrounded with Motown stars like Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson,” Weaver told the outlet. “It wasn’t because my father was a big-deal writer and producer, it was because they became a part of his ministry.”
Being Homeless
Weaver left her home at age 15 to move in with some friends staying in LA’s Watts projects. Eventually, she became homeless, even living in three different shelters in her youth.
Starting Her Career
By age 19, Weaver was ready to make a name for herself. She founded FEW Entertainment, a PR and special events company. Business had taken off, with Weaver securing multiple high-profile clients. After a brief stint in the hospitality industry, she decided to make a career change.
The Story of Nathan ‘Nearest’ Green
To tell the full story of Uncle Nearest, you’d have to go all the way back to the 19th century. Nathan “Nearest” Green is the company’s name sake. He was a former enslaved Black man credited with showing Jack Daniel– who would later have his own famous whiskey brand– the ropes. The 1967 book, “Jack Daniel’s Legacy” by Ben A. Green confirmed Green’s contribution to the Daniel legacy. “Uncle Nearest is the best whiskey maker that I know of,” the book read.
Green’s story received national attention after the New York Times published article in 2016 about Jack Daniel’s and Green’s influence on the company. That’s where Weaver first learned of his story.
Founding Uncle Nearest
“I wanted to tell the [Nathan Green] story in a book and movie form,” she said in the Voyage LA interview. “But after traveling to Lynchburg, Tennessee, conducting research, and interviewing scores of Nearest Green and Jack Daniel descendants, it became clear the best way to honor Nearest Green was with his own bottle.”
In 2017, Fawn Weaver and her husband, Keith, came up with a great idea. The couple founded Uncle Nearest with the promise to elevate whiskey and Black history.
The Fastest Growing American Whiskey Brand
Nearest was a major success. By 2022, the company was crowned one of the fastest growing whiskey brands in American history. Weaver celebrated the news with a message to keep going forward.
“We will keep building this. I intend to crisscross the country for the next 25 years, growing this company and training the next generation to take it even further,” she previously said.
COVID-19 Almost Stops Business
As a consequence of the pandemic and Russia invading Ukraine in 2022, global supply chains and shipments slowed drastically. This caused nation-wide import shortages, and for small businesses like Uncle Nearest, the crisis should’ve spelled the official end of business.
“The global supply crisis of 2021 and 2022 nearly took us out, and if it weren’t for pure grit, determination, a whole lot of faith, and focusing on what I wanted to see grow, the company may not have survived,” Weaver said. “Instead and as a result, we are continuing to build a brand and a company so large for the next generation.”
‘Love & Whiskey’
In June 2024, Weaver released her book “Love & Whiskey: The Remarkable True Story of Jack Daniel, His Master Distiller Nearest Green, and the Improbable Rise of Uncle Nearest.” The book, just as it suggests, pays tribute to whiskey icon Nathan Green.
Legal Troubles
Uncle Nearest was able to fully recover from the global supply crisis, but new issues would present themselves after Weaver was hit with a massive lawsuit. We previously told you Farm Credit Mid-America sued the Weavers in 2025 after alleging the company borrowed money but suddenly stopped making payments. They claimed the founders owed more than $100 million.
Weaver Responds
In response to the 700-page lawsuit, the Weavers called the lawsuit “salacious and inaccurate.” She even took to Instagram to speak on the criticism and lawsuit. “Dang… you’ve got to be doing something really big for people to spend their energy writing hit pieces,” she wrote in the caption.
Uncle Nearest filed in response, claiming Farm Credit was well aware of– and agreed to– the company pausing loan payments. This recommendation to do so was in direct response to the firing of Uncle Nearest’s former Chief Financial Officer months prior. Uncle Nearest has since been placed under a court-ordered receivership.
Viral Video with Middle School Mate
We previously told you the businesswoman was also dragged after a viral interaction between her and an unnamed man took a turn. The man, who claimed to know Weaver from middle school, awkwardly approached her. This prompted Weaver to diss him in public. In response, folks online accused the Uncle Nearest owner of being rude and disrespectful to the man.
The two later recreated the awkward video but with a light-hearted twist. Weaver later shared that the they even went for dinner after the hoopla died down.
Uncovering the Receiver’s Findings
Phillip G. Young Jr., the person picked to head Uncle Nearest operations in the interim, recently revealed shocking discoveries about the Uncle Nearest operations.
His findings shared with the Lexington Herald-Leader revealed the Weavers were allegedly trying to hide assets from Farm Credit, including $20 million in loans. He notably flagged around 500 money transfers suggesting a “substantial commingling of funds.” Young also claimed the Weavers failed to turn over all bank records, as the judge in the case previously requested.
Farm Credit Responds
“The need for the receivership has been shown to be even greater,” Farm Credit responded in a February brief. “The evidence clearly demonstrates that Fawn Weaver and the prior management team have an egregious inability to effectively manage Uncle Nearest and navigate it out of its distressed situation.”
Weaver Responds to Receiver
If it’s one thing Weaver will do, it’s keep a smile on her face. She took to Instagram after the recent revelations. “Just know, I started this process unbothered and unmoved. I remain unbothered and unmoved,” she said. For Weaver, her work building the Nearest brand has made her a “target” and she’s fine with that. She went on to call the lawsuit “attempted robbery in broad daylight.”
Pending Legal Drama
As the legal mess enters it’s ninth month, Weaver is still fighting to regain complete control over her business. U.S. District Judge Charles E. Atchley Jr. presiding over the case is expected to make his decision on the receivership this month.
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