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Dylan Writes Nobel Prize Fest Speech; Patti Smith to Sing

by Associated Press

   STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN --

   He won't be there in person but the Nobel Foundation says Bob Dylan has
   written a speech that will be read out at the traditional Nobel Prize
   banquet.

   Dylan, the winner of this year's Nobel Prize in literature, declined
   the invitation to the Dec. 10 prize ceremony and banquet, pleading
   other commitments. But the Nobel Foundation said Monday that the
   singer-songwriter has written a "speech of thanks" that will be read by
   a yet-to-be-decided person at the lavish banquet in Stockholm's City
   Hall.
   At the Nobel awards ceremony earlier that day, Patti Smith will perform
   Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" as a tribute to the 75-year-old.
   Nobel spokeswoman Annika Pontikis says Dylan's diploma and medal will
   be handed over at a later date that hasn't been determined yet.