LaMont Jackson and Michael Pagel’s police-car karaoke videos led to an unexpected invitation: a chance to sing with Kelly Clarkson at Kansas City’s Sprint Center. The Kansas Capitol Police officers performed Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” during the concert, with Clarkson joining them as the song turned into a singalong.
The appearance brought their online musical hobby into a live arena. Jackson moved around the stage and encouraged people in different sections to join in, while the audience sang along. For the officers, the performance was a striking change of setting from the squad car where viewers had first encountered their music.
How the videos caught on
The path to the stage began with Pagel looking for ways to build the police department’s social-media presence. In an interview with WIBW-TV, he said he had seen karaoke videos online and thought a colleague who could genuinely sing would make theirs stand out. He recruited Jackson, whose vocals became a focus of the clips.
The videos drew attention online, and Clarkson saw them before inviting the pair to perform when she came to Kansas City. Their appearance offered a live showcase for the singing that had first reached viewers through short recordings inside their police cruiser.
From online clips to a concert video
Footage of the performance was shared by KCCI NewsChannel 8 on YouTube and reportedly accumulated 1.8 million views. Pagel also posted about the experience through the Kansas Capitol Police Twitter account, thanking Clarkson for the invitation and saying he and Jackson had enjoyed the night.
The performance’s appeal rested on a simple contrast: two officers known for singing in their patrol car were suddenly sharing a stage with a major recording artist. Jackson’s choice of classic material, including “Stand By Me,” also connected the concert appearance to the familiar songs featured in their karaoke videos.
What began as an idea for social media became an opportunity to sing for a concert audience alongside Clarkson. Their move from a police cruiser to the Sprint Center put the officers’ musical side before a much larger crowd—and gave their online videos a memorable next chapter.
