Bob Dylan makes his presence felt at Nobel Prize ceremony despite being absent from it

Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan was not present at the Nobel Prize award-giving ceremony on Saturday in Sweden. Instead, American singer Patti Smith collected the award and sang his "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" on Dylan's behalf in Stockholm. 

Dylan was chosen for the Nobel Prize for literature award in 2016. However, his acceptance did not come until two weeks later. He had said he was "speechless" when he contacted the academy to accept the award. Dylan became the first songwriter to win the award, something that was criticised by purists. 

Smith stumbled on some lyrics of the song. She said, "I apologise. Sorry, I'm so nervous." 

A speech by Dylan was delivered by Azita Raji, the US ambassador to Sweden. 

"From an early age, I've been familiar with and reading and absorbing the works of those who were deemed worthy of such a distinction: Kipling, Shaw, Thomas Mann, Pearl Buck, Albert Camus, Hemingway," the speech said.

"These giants of literature whose works are taught in the schoolroom, housed in libraries around the world and spoken of in reverent tones have always made a deep impression. That I now join the names on such a list is truly beyond words."

You can read the Nobel Banquet speech by Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan, here. 

Dylan was awarded the Swedish Academy award in October for "having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."

The musician, however, was hard to get in touch with. Some two weeks later he acknowledged the award and it was added to his website as well. However, it was soon taken down.  

Dylan said that he would not be receiving the award in person due to "pre-existing commitments" in a letter to the organisation, the academy said last month. Dylan, however, said he "feels very honoured" and wished he could be there in person.