Former female reality contestants and the Country Music Association continued to make wonderful music together on Wednesday as Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, and Miranda Lambert received a total of five nominations for the 42nd Annual CMA Awards.

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Underwood, American Idol's fourth-season champion, received CMA nominations for the third year in a row. Already the 2006 winner of the Horizon Award (now called the New Artist of the Year Award), the 2007 Single of the Year winner for "Before He Cheats," and the two-time reigning Female Vocalist of the Year, Underwood scored two additional nominations for Best Female Vocalist and Album of the Year for "Carnival Ride."

Underwood's "Carnival Ride" will compete against Brooks & Dunn's "Cowboy Town," Alan Jackson's "Good Time," Kenny Chesney's "Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates," and George Strait's "Troubadour" for Album of the Year honors.

For the second consecutive year, Lambert -- who finished third on Nashville Star's first season back in 2003 -- will attempt to unseat Underwood for Female Vocalist honors along with Alison Krauss, Mirtina McBride, and Taylor Swift.

Lambert is also nominated for Single of the Year for "Gunpowder & Lead" off of her album "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend."

Pickler, Idol's fifth-place fifth-season finisher, will make her second attempt to win the New Artist of the Year Award, for which she was nominated last year as well. She joins Jason Aldean and Rodney Atkins, both of whom are also nominated for the award for a second time as well, along with first-time nominees Lady Antebellum and James Otto.

CMA rules state that, despite the award's title, an artist may be nominated for the New Artist of the Year Award twice.

In addition to Underwood, Pickler and Lambert, a couple of male country stars with reality connections also received nominations.

Trace Adkins -- who finished second on last winter's The Celebrity Apprentice -- received two nominations for Music Video of the Year and Song of the Year for his single "You’re Gonna Miss This."

In addition, John Rich -- who served as a judge on NBC's Nashville Star this summer and also stars on CMT's Gone Country -- also received a nomination for Vocal Duo of the Year as a member of Big & Rich as well.

The 42nd Annual CMA Awards will be broadcast live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, November 12 at 8PM ET on ABC.
About The Author: John Bracchitta
John Bracchitta is an entertainment reporter for Reality TV World and covers the reality TV genre.