Edwin McCain and his band relocated to Nashville, Tenn., late last year to record a follow-up for the highly-acclaimed “Honor Among Thieves” record. Behind the glass were producers Matt Rollings and Kenny Greenberg.

During early stages of recording, Rollings made a trip to a nearby grocery store in search of a snack. Rollings came back to the studio with a backup vocalist for some of the songs on the record instead.

But this wasn’t just any backup vocalist. It was Michael McDonald, front man for ’70s rock legends the Doobie Brothers.

“I’m a huge fan,” McCain said from his home in Greenville, S.C. “I grew up in the ’70s; how could I not be influenced by the Doobies?”

McDonald not only brought another talented voice to the record, but also entertained McCain and band while in the studio.

“He was hysterical,” McCain said. “He was telling jokes the whole time — it was almost hard to get work done.”

On McCain’s sophomore effort, “Misguided Voices,” the band took a new approach to writing. On “Honor,” McCain had written all of the songs himself; the songs were at least four years old, with some as old as nine years.

But this time around, the songs were only a few hours old.

“We would have an idea that was hours old and begin recording and let the songs take on their own lives,” McCain said. “The vibe we had really created an energy you can feel on the record.”

In recording “Honor,” McCain and his band were rushed to finish so the band could get on the road with Hootie and the Blowfish. But on “Misguided Voices,” McCain made sure to take his time.

By creating a rock ‘n’ roll album rather than an acoustic one, he was also better able to take advantage of his band — drummer Dave Harrison, saxophone player Craig Shields, guitarist Larry Chaney and bassist Scott Bannevich.

“Each person in the band put something of their own into it,” he said.

Because McCain and his band were breaking through at the same time as The Dave Matthews Band, the group chose to go by the name Edwin McCain. “I had already released a couple of records, and it just comes over better,” McCain said.

Although McCain did little writing on the road, most of his songs turned out to be about touring or what he describes as a “normal, mid-level rock musician, struggling in a van.”

“How Strange It Seems” in particular, is a cross-section of all the people McCain met while on the road.

“I was in New York and I was having a pretty bad day,” McCain explained. “I got in this cab and this Vietnamese driver, in incredibly broken English, started telling me about what he does in the city and his seven kids.

“I was thinking, what is this guy’s life like? And amazingly — he was pretty damn happy about who he was.”

Happiness for McCain involves a newfound hobby, ski-sailing 2,000 feet above the desert ground. Touring and listening to new music (the new Patty Griffin is his fave) are also among McCain’s list of treasures.

“One day you’re in the desert, the next you’re in the middle of California and the next day it’s Seattle. I love that.” McCain said.

Edwin McCain, the band, will be in Iowa at People’s Bar and Grill on Sunday, August 3, at 9 p.m. along with Treehouse.

Tickets for the show are $10 in advance and are available at all TicketMaster outlets.