It was only 10 years ago that the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences decided to create a separate category honoring Tejano music at the annual Grammy awards.

Now comes word from industry insiders that the Tejano category is in danger of being scrapped because not enough Tejano CD submissions for this year's 51st Grammy awards show have been received for judging.

The deadline for CD submissions is only one week away, on Sept. 3.

Before Tejano garnered its own category, it had been lumped within a broader category titled Mexican American music. Yet, Mexican American only identifies the ethnicity of the artists and doesn't begin to represent the differences between Tejano and other kinds of Latin/Mexican music.

Had there been a Tejano category in 1993, Selena, the acknowledged "Queen of Tejano," would have won a Grammy for best Tejano album rather than "Best Mexican-American Album."

It would seem a shame to turn the clock back when such progress has been made in 10 years by elevating the Tejano genre to its rightful place alongside jazz, rock, alternative, etc.

Being awarded best Mexican-American album is like saying we speak Mexican — It's Spanish tonto!

Tejano artists need to move fast before a worthy category is eliminated. If that happens, then it's no one's fault but the artists who failed to understand that to be in the game, you have to play!