Peter Who?

A student at Indiana University gives a presentation during an entry-level Peter Frampton course.

Study: Most Americans Can Only Name One Peter Frampton Album

INDIANAPOLIS (CAP)(CNN)(PETIN) - Hello, this is Anderson Cooper reporting from Indianapolis [(whispering): and I can't wait to get outta here] After more than ten albums with Humble Pie, another dozen as a solo artist, and a Grammy back in 2006, nearly two-thirds of Americans aged 18-24 still cannot name more than one Peter Frampton album, a study released yesterday showed. I'm 43 and all I can say is Peter who?

The National Geographic-Roper Public Affairs Annual Musical Literacy Study paints a dismal picture of the musical knowledge of the most recent graduates of the U.S. education system, although the study did find steadily improving results as respondents approached the age of 49. That's what the study said; but as a 43 year old, I can tell you that they were lying. Between 24 and 43 the knowledge line dips tremendously, I cannot name a single album by Peter Who?

However, an overwhelming 80% of all respondents in the study did try to pass off Frampton Comes Alive! as two albums. What were they thinking? Frampton Comes Alive! is only one album -- they said. I was under the understanding that they were three CDs. Go figure.

"Far too many young people lack even the most basic skills for navigating our musical history or understanding how rock and roll has evolved into what it is today," Somebody told me that, but I forgot who.

Scholars and musicologists who have analyzed the results of the study say Americans' woeful level of musical illiteracy damages more than Arbitron ratings for "classic rock" radio stations -- who's Arbitron? And that this illiteracy damages democracy. Who is Arbitron?

"You're going to make assumptions about people out of ignorance, and they're going to make assumptions about you," said Geoff Phillips of the Center for the Study of Music in American Culture at Indiana University in Indianapolis. I asked him to please cut his title.

"Our memories of our musical heritage are like Peter Frampton's hair," said Phillips. "Once long and flowing, and now - hardly anything to speak of." Really!

The release of the study coincides with the launch of the National Geographic-led campaign called My Wonderful Peter (giggle). A statement on the program said it was designed to "inspire parents and educators to give their kids the power of global knowledge through Peter Frampton's music." I didn't have the heart to ask him, Who is Peter Frampton?

So, instead I said, thank you Geooffy. That's all the time we have for now.

Next, please stay tuned for Larry King Live.