Elliot started out as a member of the jazz-rock unit, KittyHawk, playing lyricon (a wind synthesizer) and saxophone, and recording several albums with them. He then became a member of the funk band Tower of Power, playing tenor sax for five years during the 1980s.[1] He also did a stint as a member of the Yellowjackets. He also worked on Stacy Lattisaw's 1986 album Take Me All the Way. His solo career took off when he remade the Percy Sledge classic "When a Man Loves a Woman", which had also been remade by Michael Bolton. Other well-known songs include "In the Groove", "Take Your Time", "Crush", "Chill Factor", "Corner Pocket" and "Sly", as well as remakes of classic pop songs such as "I'm Not in Love" and the Luther Vandross hits "Here and Now" and "Your Secret Love".
Elliot was known for his zebra-striped tenor saxophone. In 2011, he switched from LA SAX Saxes to Dakota Saxophones, which the owner, Peter LaPlaca, sold for Dakota.
In 2005, Elliot joined trumpeter Rick Braun[2] to co-found their own label, ARTizen Music Group (now known as Artistry Music). Among the first albums on that label is Elliot's own Metro Blue.