Bob Dylan Sends Speech to Be Read at Nobel Prize Banquet
The Nobel prize winner and music legend has said he will not attend .
— -- Bob Dylan will not be attending the Nobel Prize banquet this weekend, but he has sent a speech to be read in his absence.
The Swedish Academy, which hands out the awards, tweeted earlier today that Dylan "has provided a speech which will be read at the Nobel banquet in Stockholm December 10."
Singer Patti Smith is also scheduled to perform his song "A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall" at the banquet Saturday.
Dylan was awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in literature, worth about $900,000, in October, and initially ignored the Swedish Academy's requests for him to acknowledge his award. He later responded, telling Sara Danius, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, "The news about the Nobel Prize left me speechless. I appreciate the honor so much."
He also told the British newspaper The Guardian that he was hoping to attend.
Then last month, officials received a personal letter from Dylan explaining "that due to pre-existing commitments, he is unable to travel to Stockholm in December and therefore will not attend the Nobel Prize Ceremony."
In his letter, Dylan reiterated that he "feels very honored indeed" to be chosen for the award and wished "that he could receive the prize in person."
The only requirement Dylan must fulfill as a Nobel honoree is to present a "Nobel lecture" sometime within six months of the Dec. 10 ceremony in order to collect his $900,000 prize.
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