Michael Kovac/WireImageHow does it feel to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature? Ask Bob Dylan. The lauded artist made history this year by becoming the first singer/songwriter ever to be awarded the prestigious honor. After the October 13 announcement, Dylan caused some controversy when he took about two weeks to contact the Swedish Academy, the organization that presents the Nobel Prizes, to accept the honor.
“The news about the Nobel Prize left me speechless,” Dylan told a Swedish Academy official. “I appreciate the honor so much.” Having said that, Dylan didn’t attend the Nobel Prize presentation ceremony, held December 10 in Stockholm, citing “pre-existing commitments.” He sid pen a lengthy, heartfelt acceptance speech that was read at the Nobel Banquet by Azita Raji, the U.S. Ambassador to Sweden. In the speech, Bob wrote, “Being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature is something I never could have imagined or seen coming.”
In Bob’s honor, his friend and fellow literature-loving songwriter Patti Smith performed his classic song “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” at the ceremony.
As a Nobel honoree, Dylan stands to receive $870,000 in prize money, but in order to collect it he’s required to deliver a lecture about literature within six months of the ceremony.
–In May of 2016, Dylan released a new album titled Fallen Angels, which was his second consecutive studio effort featuring covers of songs previously recorded by Frank Sinatra. He supported the album with a U.S. summer tour that featured a former flame, soul-gospel legend Mavis Staples, as his opening act.
–November saw the release of Bob Dylan: The 1966 Live Recordings, a gargantuan 36-CD box set collecting every known live recording from Dylan’s historic 1966 world tour, which featured future members of The Band as his backing group.
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