Temple’s own Little Joe Hernandez and his band, La Familia, took home a third Grammy on Sunday for best Tejano album with the record “Before the Next Teardrop Falls.”

“It feels as good as the first time,” Hernandez said. “It means I’m still alive and kicking and able to keep doing this.”

The win could be considered the perfect end to a long but fulfilling year in which the eight-time nominee received a lifetime achievement award from Univision, became the first Tejano band to play in Alaska and performed a set of tribute concerts for the late Freddy Fender.

In fact, the album name and title song are a tribute to Fender, who won the Country Music Association’s single of the year award for “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” in 1975.

“The tour inspired me to record the song,” Hernandez said. “It’s a special feeling to know Freddy won an award a while back and now I’m winning too.”

Before the win, Hernandez admitted to feeling a little tense and said, “even though it’s the eighth nomination, you never really get used to it.”

In the 1960s and ’70s, Hernandez helped pioneer the musical genre known as Tejano, which incorporates everything from jazz and country music to rock ’n’ roll. He said in a former interview with the Temple Daily Telegram his “sound was influenced by the wide range of musical forms he was exposed to growing up in Temple.”

During his acceptance speech, Hernandez made a call for change to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the governing body of the Grammy awards.

“I have a dream. Well, I have a request. OK, I have a wish,” Hernandez said, reciting his acceptance speech. “I would wish that the Academy might reconsider redefining (the category) Mexican-American.”

After the speech, Hernandez was able to add clarification to his remarks at the Grammy press junket. He explained for the 2007 Grammy awards, he entered two albums in separate categories. One album was entered into the Mexican-American classification and another in the Tejano group.

However, without his knowledge, the Academy put both albums into the Tejano category and that caused his albums to compete against each other.

“I don’t know if I would have won,” Hernandez said. “But it sure didn’t help splitting votes against myself.”

Hernandez said the Academy may not be knowledgeable enough to know the difference between the music and should look into finding a way to make sure all Latin artists are represented fairly.

Hernandez previously won a Grammy in the Tejano category in 2006 for the album “Chicanisimo” and for best Mexican-American album in 1992 for “Diez y Seis de Septiembre.”

The win also allowed Hernandez the opportunity to connect with friends and supporters across the globe.

“I had calls from Hawaii, Alaska, Germany and Canada,” Hernandez said. “It’s amazing how music can bring people together.”

At the age of 67, Hernandez jokingly said that “another year is always a great year for me,” and that may be why he decided to attend not just a few but “all of the after-parties.”

“I ate and drank and was merry for the whole 72 hours we were there,” Hernandez said. “But I may be feeling the effects for the next 72.”

Hopefully, the effects won’t be too long lasting because Hernandez has no plans to slow down. In less than a month he’ll take time to start recording a new album. He also accepted six invitations to perform as a guest artist on other projects and plans to film a movie featuring songs he wrote specifically for the project.

“It’s work, but it’s all fun,” Hernandez said with a laugh. “But I couldn’t achieve these things without the support of my family.”

rrenfrow@temple-telegram.com