When the ladies hear his music, they melt. And when the guys hear it, they do the same thing - they just won't admit it. No wonder Ari Hest is gaining momentum in the music world.

But that's what happens when you combine smooth grooves, a throaty voice and smoldering lyrics together - you gain fans from across the country. And soon after that, you start traveling to all corners of the United States to perform for them.

"Life's getting very busy. In a good way for the most part. I tour like crazy, get to play music for a living, get to travel, and that's what I was excited about when I first started out," Hest says. "It's great aside from missing your family at times."

Hest has headlined numerous shows and had the opportunity to play with stars such as Jason Mraz, Crash Test Dummies, Stephen Kellogg, Georgia Avenue and Pete Francis of Dispatch. He's also formed a strong bond with producer/music director David Rolfe (Burlap to Cashmere, Rufus Wainwright, Patty Griffin).

And seeing him live isn't just a concert, it's an invitation into the soul of the 24-year-old New York native. His performances are both enjoyable and enlightening. Playing a mixture of tracks from his three albums, and dabbling into a few cover songs, Hest delivers a show that intoxicates the audience with the rich blend of tunes.

"I try to cover musicians that I love but that I don't necessarily draw most of my inspiration from," Hest says.

From the energetic jams of "Caught Up in Your Love" and "They're On To Me" to the acoustic riffs of "Fascinate You" and "Holding On", Hest puts on a show packed with songs that touch the heart and inspire the soul.

Perhaps Hest's most heartwarming piece is a song he wrote for a friend who lost a loved one on September 11, 2001. "I Didn't Want to Say Goodbye" is warmly and truthfully written about the aspect of grieving for a loved one.

Hest credits much of his popularity to the Internet, and his web site that is regularly updated with tour information and multimedia files.

"I didn't realize the power of the Internet till I began touring in places I'd never been, way out west, or down in Texas. Lots of people came out to watch, probably more than what I get back home in New York and I think people are digging the new record, and I'm real happy about that since this one is the closest thing to what I've been trying to get on record since I started doing this," Hest says.

But what really keeps the artist going are his fans. They motivate him to travel all the miles that he does, and "My fans are great, they come from distant places to watch shows, and even bake cookies for me. Good cookies! They are the best. I couldn't ask for more."