Ivan The Sabers / The Lemon Pipers Collection

Ivan & The Sabers were an instrumental rock band formed by Centerville High School students Ivan Browne and Larry Butler in 1961. Other members who played with the band between 1961 and 1966 included; John Cox, Jerry Hawkins, Bill Ellinger, Frank Cutter, John Gohgrich, and Freddie Meyers. The band played locally, and had a regional hit with, "Just Let Her Go". A follow up single, "Listen To Me" was not as successful, although it is now considered by some fans of the 1960s garage sound to be their best recording.

The band opened for The Rolling Stones during the British band's second North American tour, at their gig at Dayton's Hara Arena on 13 November 1964. That same year, Ivan & The Sabers also opened for The Byrds at LeSourdsville Lake Amusement Park in Monroe, Ohio, and toured with The Beach Boys, Shangri-Las and Jay & The Americans.

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 Lemon Pipers played in bars around Oxford, Ohio and rock venues in Cincinnati. They reached the final of the Ohio Battle of the Bands in 1967 at the Cleveland Public Auditorium: losing to the Cleveland based James Gang.

The Lemon Pipers were picked up by Buddah Records (now known as Buddha Records) who pushed them in the direction of bubblegum pop music. The band recorded the song "Green Tambourine" which reached number one on the Billboard and Cashbox charts in February 1968. The song also reached number 7 on the UK singles chart. It is considered to be the first chart-topping single of the bubblegum pop genre, and was awarded a gold disc by the Recording Industry Association of America in February 1968 in recognition of selling over two million copies.

The band's next single; "Rice is Nice" reached number 46 on the billboard chart in March 1968. They recorded two albums; "Green Tambourine" and "Jungle Marmalade", both of which were a mixture of bubblegum and the band's preferred rock & roll music. Unhappy with the direction their music was taking, the band parted company with Buddah Records in 1969, splitting up shortly after.

Ivan Browne began touring with his wife Isa, as The Ivan and Isa Band in 1975, and they continue to tour and record music together.