Traditional bluegrass song that is typically attributed to Ralph Stanley from his 1974 definitive recording and due to the fact that he registered his song. However, The Charles River Valley Boys recorded essentially the same song twelve years prior and on their release they credit "Traditional". The lyrics are just rehashes of other traditonal songs arranged into a bluegrass format.
Note: There is an unrelated old-time Kentucky folk song also known as "Rocky Island" with very little lyrical overlap.