Scott Elliott (L) and Stephen Gaudette c. 2012. Credit: c/o JoEllen Schilke
Scott Elliott, singer, performer, DJ, vinyl enthusiast (putting it mildly), activist, and therapist, died on Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, of pancreatic cancer.
Elliott, who was 66 years old, leaves behind his husband, Stephen Gaudette, two brothers, Melvin and Wayne, and two beloved pups, Duke and Gracie. He was fiercely talented and deeply righteous.
Music and social justice were Elliott’s two big passions, and there were a slew of others. He started DJ-ing and performing in clubs in New York City in the 1980s. He made his way downtown from the McKinley Projects in the Bronx to selling antiques at Dullsville, the influential shop in Greenwich Village in the 1990s.
He met Gaudette in 1993, and after an ice storm in NYC, they moved to Florida in 1995, eventually settling in Gulfport. Elliott got involved in St. Pete Pride right at the beginning, and as entertainment chair, was able to gather local musicians to volunteer. He also was instrumental in Tampa Museum’s Pride and Passion events.
Scott Elliott started volunteering at WMNF Community Radio in 2002. His popular music show, All Souls, showcased his omnivorous taste in music and deep appreciation of adventurous vocalists.
He was a leader at WMNF, helming the station’s Juneteenth celebrations for years; serving on and leading the Volunteer Committee, and serving on the board. Elliott was a familiar, joyous face at many Tropical Heatwaves and other WMNF events. He received WMNF’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020, among other accolades.
As a singer, he worked with some of the best in the business, touring the world as a singer and backup dancer with Lionel Hampton, Ryo Kawasaki, Jocelyn Brown, Taka Boom, Sharon Redd, Carrie Ann Inaba, Robin Hatchett, and John Ambrosini.
He fronted the 90’s NY indie funk/rock band Absolute Zero and Sarasota-based party band, PFM, and was a featured lead vocalist for local indie band, Talk To Mark. Elliott was also a solo artist in his own right. He was a familiar and engaging artist at almost every tribute show WMNF produced.
In 2008, he left the corporate world and studied to be a massage therapist, quickly also becoming an instructor for the Sanford Brown Institute. While work and healing people was important, Scott Elliott’s passion was for music. He was a fantastic supporter to other DJs at WMNF and could be found at local shows and concerts, big and small, almost every week.
“His knowledge of music, his personal energy, his energetic conversations,’ said Cen-Flo, aka Darryl Ross, host of The Saturday Night House Party on WMNF. “I always knew I could count on him.”
His YouTube channel, DJ Vinyl Vertigo, is made up of reviews and discussions of a wide array of vinyl records, creating another community.
What Elliott will be most remembered for though, is how he made you feel. Maybe you got his dazzling smile, or he had a song that you had to hear because it was perfect for you (and it always was).
His friend, Joe Polubinski said that “He made you feel like you were one of his most important friends. He had the gift of making you feel that you mattered.”
Legendary WMNF DJ Cheryl Mogul, a friend and neighbor in Gulfport, cherishes her many memories of Elliott. They include Gulfport strolls, dancing at concerts, floating in the Gulf of Mexico while he deployed his terrifyingly accurate and funny impersonations of terrible government leaders.
Scott Elliott touched so many different communities with grace, determination, and humor. We were lucky to have him for 66 years.
A celebration of Scott Elliott’s life will be held on Sunday, September 13, at Skipper’s Smokehouse at 5pm.
In lieu of flower Please send donations to wmnf.org or mypalladium.org.
This article appears in August 27 – September 02, 2026.
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