Breaking Out was released by Columbia (C 30347) on 14 October 1970, a year after Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs had ended their partnership, and it gathers earlier recordings rather than presenting a new session. Its eleven sides were cut in Nashville between November 1950 and November 1963: “Come Back Darling” in 1950, “That Old Book of Mine” in August 1953, “Six White Horses” in January 1957, “Iron Curtain” and “Foggy Mountain Rock” in 1959, “The Great Historical Bum” and “Polka on a Banjo” in April 1960, “Handsome Molly” in February 1962, and “Rambling Gambler,” “Mama Don’t Allow It” and “Po’ Rebel Soldier” in 1963.
The band changes from side to side. Curly Seckler played mandolin and sang tenor on several of the sides from 1950 to 1962, with Benny Martin on fiddle for “That Old Book of Mine”; from 1957 on Paul Warren is the fiddler on every side, and Buck Graves plays dobro on most. “Handsome Molly,” cut on 20 February 1962, adds Maybelle Carter on autoharp. Six of the eleven had already been issued as Columbia singles: “Come Back Darling” (1951), “Six White Horses” (1957), “Foggy Mountain Rock” (1959), “The Great Historical Bum” and “Polka on a Banjo” (1960) and “Mama Don’t Allow It” (1963). The LP reached No. 35 on Billboard’s country albums chart.
After the breakup, Flatt formed the Nashville Grass and Scruggs led the Earl Scruggs Revue.
Tracklist
- 1 Foggy Mountain Rock (with The Foggy Mountain Boys) - 78rpm Version 2:18
- 2 That Old Book Of Mine 2:46
- 3 Come Back Darling alt version 2:39
- 4 Iron Curtain (with The Foggy Mountain Boys) 2:44
- 5 The Great Historical Bum (with The Foggy Mountain Boys) 2:11
- 6 Polka on a Banjo 2:47
- 7 Six White Horses alt version 3:05
- 8 Handsome Molly alt version 2:05
- 9 Rambling Gambler (with The Foggy Mountain Boys) 3:03
- 10 Mama Don't Allow It (with The Foggy Mountain Boys) 2:29
- 11 Po' Rebel Soldier (with The Foggy Mountain Boys) 2:08
