It took him two weeks to acknowledge that he'd won the Nobel Prize for Literature, and now Bob Dylan has said he will not attend the award ceremony on December 10 in Stockholm.
Image: picture alliance/Effigie/Leemage
Advertisement
The Swedish Academy said Wednesday that Bob Dylan would not be present at the celebration in his honor on December 10.
The Academy said is "respects Bob Dylan's decision," adding that not showing up in person was "unusal, but not exceptional." In 2004, Austrian playwright Elfriede Jelinek sent a video message rather than appearing herself to collect her Nobel Prize.
The 75-year-old American singer-songwriter was awarded the prestigious prize on October 13 for "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."
Dylan caused a stir - not only because some felt a musician shouldn't receive a prize reserved for writers - but also because he remained silent for a fortnight following the announcement.
Finally, Dylan reportedly spoke with Sara Danius, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, over the phone, saying, "If I accept the prize? Of course," Dylan told Sara Danius, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, over the phone.
"The news about the Nobel Prize left me speechless," he added. "I appreciate the honor so much."
Dylan had told the British daily "The Telegraph" that he would "absolutely" show up to the official banquet "if it's at all possible." But, it seems he changed his mind.
The Nobel Prize for Literature, along with the five other Nobel Prizes, are handed out each year in Stockholm on the anniverary of Alfred Nobel's death in 1896.
kbm/sms (AP, dpa)
Bob Dylan: Stations of a legendary career
Over six decades of iconic songs: Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan also left his mark as an activist, an actor and a Nobel Prize winner.
Image: Istvan Bajzat/dpa/picture alliance
The protest singer
Joan Baez and Bob Dylan are connected by more than protest against the establishment. The two were once a couple. In 1963 they made a joint appearance at the civil rights march in Washington.
Image: gemeinfrei
The actor
Calling Bob Dylan a folk or rock singer would be describing only part of his personality. Dylan is more like a total work of art, a cultural treasure of American society, who is an iconic protest figure and actor, as well. In 1973 he appeared in the movie "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/UPI
The activist
When his live touring schedule allows, Dylan has always turned towards benefit performances. In this photo from 1971, he appears with ex-Beatles Ringo Starr and George Harrison, performing in Madison Square Garden for 40,000 people. The concert proceeds of $250,000 went directly to the young country of Bangladesh, torn by civil war.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
The 'never-ending' performer
Bob Dylan remains active on stage. Although his "Never Ending Tour" was interrupted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been in progress since 1988. The 79-year-old also released his 39th studio album in June 2020, the critically-acclaimed "Rough and Rowdy Ways," which came 58 years after the release of his debut album, "Bob Dylan."
Image: picture alliance/KEYSTONE/STR
The prize winner
Bob Dylan has two honorary doctorates and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2008 in recognition of his enormous influence on pop culture. In 2012, US President Barack Obama awarded him the country's highest civil distinction: the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He also became a Nobel Prize laureate in 2016.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/EPA/J. Lo Scalzo
The dealmaker
In December 2020, Universal Music bought the entire back catalog of Bob Dylan's songs, a deal covering more than 600 song copyrights and spanning the singer-songwriter's 60-year career. The music company did not reveal the financial details of what it described as "one of the most important" music publishing agreements of all time, but reports estimate it was a "nine-figure deal."
