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Arts & Entertainment

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Blake Shelton Wows Crowds at Westfield Culver City

Shelton gave a free concert Saturday as part of the "jcpenny Cares" program.

Several hundred people turned out to see Blake Shelton perform Saturday at Westfield Culver City as part of jcpenney's Holiday Tour.

The country singer and celebrity judge on the television show The Voice, was chosen as this year’s ambassador for the jcp Cares program.

Shelton talked to the crowd as if he were addressing an old friend while also singing a couple of his hits, including "God gave me you."

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Fans sang along and swayed to the beat amid intermittent screams of “I love you, Blake!”

Los Angeles was part of a 12-city tour in which jcpenney chooses to do an act of generosity in each city.

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“I’ve never seen a retail store do anything like this,” Shelton said. “They’re just going crazy, just giving back especially [with] this holiday tour. It’s just fun, and they don’t have to do something like that. They’re doing it because they’re giving back to the community, and it’s a good feeling.”

His protege, RaeLynn, who was a former contestant on The Voice, served as his opening act. She said before the show that nothing could beat having Shelton as a mentor.

“He’s taught me so much about the country music industry,” RaeLynn said. “He’s so sweet and he and Miranda [Lambert] kind of took me under their wings, so it’s been awesome."

Shelton, who was awarded this year’s Entertainer of the Year Award by the Country Music Association, said he treasures his role as a mentor.

“All of a sudden, I can recall all these things, all these experiences that’s I’ve had over the years and actually put them to good use,” Shelton said. “Now it’s going to help someone like RaeLynn along the way.

“I’m still having so much fun with The Voice, " he added. "Being a part of that show it’s hard to put into words how exciting and how gratifying it is whenever you see these people when they first start and what they become by the end of that show. To have just a small part of their life in that way, that’s exciting. That’s hard to replace right there.”

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