American legend Bob Dylan was awarded the prestigious Nobel Literature prize, a first for a songwriter
Stockholm: American music legend Bob Dylan yesterday won the Nobel Literature Prize, the first songwriter to win the prestigious award in an announcement that stunned prize-watchers.
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Dylan (75) was honoured “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition,” the Swedish Academy said.
The choice was met by gasps and a long round of applause from journalists attending the prize announcement. The folk singer has been mentioned in Nobel speculation in past years but was never seen as a serious contender. The Academy’s permanent secretary Sara Danius said, Dylan’s songs were “poetry for the ears”.
Barack Obama presented Bob Dylan with a Medal of Freedom in 2012. Pic/AP
The Nobel award is the latest accolade for a singer who has come a long way from his humble beginnings from Minnesota. He taught himself to play the harmonica, guitar and piano. Dylan will take home the eight million kronor ($906,000 or 822,000 euros) prize.
Last year, the prize went to Belarussian author Svetlana Alexievich for her documentary-style narratives based on witness testimonies.
The 2016 laureates will receive their awards — a gold medal and a diploma — at a formal ceremony in Stockholm, as tradition dictates, on December 10, the anniversary of the death of prize creator Alfred Nobel. A separate ceremony is held in Oslo for the peace prize laureate on the same day, as the Norwegian Nobel Committee grants that award.
Bob Dylan
‘The thing about rock ‘n’ roll is that for me anyway it wasn’t enough... There were great catch-phrases and driving pulse rhythms... but the songs weren't serious or didn't reflect life in a realistic way. I knew that when I got into folk music, it was more of a serious type of thing. The songs are filled with more despair, more sadness, more triumph, more faith in the supernatural, much deeper feelings.’
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