Patti Smith and a speech by proxy to fill Dylan

intern 16:49 - 05 December 2016

Bob Dylan whose lyrics have influenced generations of fans, is the first songwriter to win the Nobel literature prize

Dylan said in the wake of being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature prize that he would not attend the ceremony.

Nobel literature laureate, Bob Dylan will provide a speech and fellow American singer-songwriter Patti Smith will perform one of his best-known songs in his absence during Stockholm’s prize celebrations, the awards body said on Monday.

Smith will perform “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall’’ at the Nobel banquet on Dec. 10, while Dylan’s speech will also be read out at the event, the Nobel Prize organisers said on Twitter.

Dylan said in the wake of being awarded the 8 million Swedish crown ($870,000) prize that he would accept the award but that he would not attend the ceremony in Stockholm.

Local news agency TT said the speech would be read by Swedish Academy member Horace Engdahl.

Other Nobel Prize winners who have not attended the prize ceremony include Britain’s Harold Pinter and Elfriede Jelinek of Austria.