One day in the late 1980's, while I was working at the Capital Children's Museum in D.C., there was a commotion - a buzz among the staff that someone famous was visiting the exhibits.

I was relatively new to the place, but knew that celebrities sometimes dropped by. My imagination got going.

I asked coworkers Tanara and Quanique who it was that was causing such a fuss. "It's Little Benny's wife!" they told me. Quanique gave me a glance as if to say "duh!".

Right. Of course. Little Benny's wife. (At least I knew who Little Benny was.)

Little Benny had just released a big hit called Cat in the Hat. It was a summer Go Go anthem that had an anti-crack theme. "The cat in the hat, used to do smack, now he does crack, can't get back. Take it away, take it way, take it away." Everyone knew it.

He began performing with Rare Essence when Go Go was a new sound, then broke out on his own with Little Benny and the Masters. His songs weren't very complex or deep, but he had tremedous spirit and energy, and was a Go Go advocate for almost all of his 46 years. In the past decade he had been performing with Chuck Brown, E.U. and others and creating energy for old school Go Go reunions, like Trouble Funk.

Benny was a small guy. He played trumpet. He also liked to dress nicely. In the following clip, he's got white gloves and glasses, and he's performing Cat in the Hat at the height of its popularity to a packed, bouncing Capital Center at one of the biggest Go Go shows ever staged.

Check out his shoulder moves!

Anthony "Little Benny" Harley died in his sleep May 30.