TIME

Nobel Prize Committee Gets Patti Smith to Sing in Bob Dylan’s Place

Patti Smith holds press conference ahead of concert in Istanbul
Veli Gurgah, Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Patti Smith will be singing in Bob Dylan's stead.

He initially did not respond to the Swedish Academy for weeks after winning the prize.

Bob Dylan may have been left “speechless” after winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in October, but he has provided something to be read at the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony on Dec. 10 in Stockholm.

You just won’t be hearing him read it in person.

The famously reclusive singer, who took a while longer than most to respond the the Swedish Academy after winning his award, will not attend the gala, but he has provided a speech that will be read out at the event, the Nobel Foundation revealed in a Monday tweet.

Singer-songwriter Patti Smith will fill in for Dylan, singing ‘A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall’ at the award ceremony.

Dylan previously told the Swedish Academy that he wished he could receive the prize personally, “but other commitments make it unfortunately impossible,” the Associated Press reported.

Tap to read full story

Your browser is out of date. Please update your browser at http://update.microsoft.com


YOU BROKE TIME.COM!

Dear TIME Reader,

As a regular visitor to TIME.com, we are sure you enjoy all the great journalism created by our editors and reporters. Great journalism has great value, and it costs money to make it. One of the main ways we cover our costs is through advertising.

The use of software that blocks ads limits our ability to provide you with the journalism you enjoy. Consider turning your Ad Blocker off so that we can continue to provide the world class journalism you have become accustomed to.

The TIME Team