
By Rebecca Sheir
A late pioneer of go-go music, D.C.’s homegrown style of funk is being honored in Northwest D.C. The city is naming 11th Street Northwest between U and T, "Little Benny Way."
Benny Anthony Harley, otherwise known as "Little Benny," was considered the godfather of go-go: a genre of funk featuring cow bells, conga drums and call-and-response by the bandleader...in this case, Little Benny himself, who longtime friend Cherita Whiting describes as more than just a "musician."
"He was a father, son, brother, friend, people person, loved to have a good time," she recalls.
Whiting’s father, Chuck Brown, played with Little Benny numerous times. Other former band mates are scheduled to play during today’s dedication ceremony, which is free and open to the public.

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