Elkie's singer quietly leaves nobleman (4)
I believe the answer is:
earl
'nobleman' is the definition.
(earl is a kind of nobleman)
'elkie's singer quietly leaves' is the wordplay.
'elkie's singer' becomes 'Pearl' (in the Elkie Brooks song Pearl's a Singer).
'quietly' becomes 'p' (p for piano and quiet).
'leaves' is a deletion indicator.
'pearl' with 'p' taken away is 'EARL'.
(Other definitions for earl that I've seen before include "Real kind of English lord" , "Titled man" , "One who's been elevated" , "A lord like Lear" , "-- Grey, PM 1830-34" .)