McKenna goes through "Numbered Doors"

The disc was live tracked with producer Mark Erelli, who often plays with McKenna.

"If 'Lorraine' and 'Massachusetts' were personal records - [Numbered Doors[ is more inspired by those lingering stories. Stories of people I know and characters that I - and my co-writers - have invented," McKenna said. "Stories of people I can identify with and people I don't understand at all."

McKenna has enjoyed success as a songwriter with Little Big Town, Tim McGraw and Hunter Hayes (the hit "I Want Crazy") all recording her material.

The idea for these songs developed while on tour and staying in motels between shows. "It's fair to say that songwriters spend a good amount of time in motel rooms. We arrive late - after a show. We stare into the trunks of our rental cars wondering what we can safely leave out there in the parking lot and how many instruments we can carry up the stairs without making two trips. We always bring the guitar of course - because motel rooms were made for songwriting," said McKenna.

The recording process was initially intended for an EP. Erelli and McKenna sat down and tracked five songs on the first day. "I was driving to the studio the second day figuring Mark would suggest some overdubs or we'd start mixing when he called me to say - "why don't we just record five more songs and call this thing a record?" And so we did," said McKenna.

"A lot of songs have been written in motel rooms. Of course, we know we are there to get some sleep before driving to the next gig, but it's sometimes hard for a songwriter's mind to find rest in that room," said McKenna. "Think of all the stories that started or ended in that room. Think of all the feelings given into and the ones ignored. All the gossip that room could spit out about all the strangers that have come through. Ourselves included. The love made, the promises, the lies, the turning points and last hopes, the prayers."