Written by Karl Davis in 1942, who said, "I wrote the song as a tribute to my home state. I grew up in Mount Vernon, Kentucky. About four years ago [ca. 1969], I was made a Kentucky Colonel on the strength of having written it." (Horstman, Sing Your Heart Out, Country Boy, 3rd ed., p. 17)
Probably the Louvin Brothers' version is the most famous; sound clip is HERE). The Blue Sky Boys' singing can be heard at The Record Lady's Real Country Archives ("Real Country Archives Page 7"). This is the link to RA. Other artists, such as the Osborne Brothers and Mac Wiseman, sang it.

~Masato