Long Hair and Local History

The Oxford, Ohio band The Lemon Pipers are best known for their psychedelic hit single “Green Tambourine”, which shot to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968.  Before their national fame, members Ivan Browne and Larry Butler attended Centerville High School near Dayton, Ohio. In 1961, they helped form the instrumental rock group Ivan & The Sabers. At the time other members included; Bill Ellinger, John Cox, Jerry Hawkins, Frank Cutter, John Gohgrich, and Freddie Meyers. From 1961 to 1966, the band played local gigs, and had a regional hit entitled, “Just Let Her Go.” Due to their esteemed reputation, the group opened for the Rolling Stones at the Hara Arena in 1964. That same year, Ivan & The Sabers toured and opened for other chart-topping bands, such as the Byrds and The Beach Boys.  

In 1966, Ivan Browne left Ivan & The Sabers and joined Tony & the Bandits, replacing Tony Brazis. The band name was changed to The Lemon Pipers and the new line-up was: Ivan Browne, William Bartlett, Reg Nave, William Albaugh and Steve Walmsley. The five band members were all students at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Together, they played at popular local bars and music venues in Oxford and Cincinnati, which included the Boar’s Head and the Mugg Club. They received a recording contract from Buddah Records in New York and suddenly found themselves nationally successful. At the height of their career, the song “Green Tambourine” had sold over a million records. Although this song had topped the charts, the group was not happy with its pop rock sound. 

The Lemon Pipers, whose personal preference veered toward psychedelic rock, were pressured by Buddah Records to stay in the bubblegum genre; they reluctantly recorded “Green Tambourine” because Buddah would drop them had they refused. Eventually the band left the record label and broke up for good in 1969. Today, Wright State University’s Special Collections and Archives is home to the Ivan & The Sabers/ The Lemon Peppers Collection. This collection includes news articles and clippings, a band t-shirt, band photographs, and a 45 record of their hit song "Green Tambourine." 

Sources Used 

MS-490, Ivan & The Sabers / The Lemon Pipers Collection, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.

[ Photograph of Ivan & The Sabers, 1961], MS-490, Ivan & The Sabers/ Lemon Pipers Collection, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.

[Lemon Pipers LP Promotional Picture, 1968], MS-490, Ivan & The Sabers/ Lemon Pipers Collection, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.

Ciolerk, Todd. " Centerville Native a Part of Rock 'n' Roll History." Centerville Bellbrook Times (Dayton, OH), July 11,2001. 

Harding, Pat." Lemon Pipers Finding Green Path to Success." Centerville Bellbrook Times (unknown publication date). 

Breihan,Tom.“TheNumberOnes:TheLemonPipers’‘GreenTambourine'.”StereoGum.October29,2018.https://www.stereogum.com/2020549/the-number-ones-the-lemon-pipers-green-tambourine/franchises/the-number-ones/.