The Nobel Committee announced on Wednesday, November 16th, that Bob Dylan had written them a letter expressing regret that he would be not be able to travel to Sweden to accept his 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature in person.  It was announced on October 13 that Dylan had received the Prize in Literature “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.”

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Dylan had previously stated in an interview with a British newspaper that he would try to attend “if at all possible.”  But according to the Nobel Committee, Dylan said that he had “pre-existing commitments” that barred him from travel to the Prize ceremony in December.

Watch Bob Dylan play guitar on Simple Twist of Fate in Las Vegas the night his Nobel Prize in Literature was announced:

UPDATE: Re:Create has learned that Bob Dylan will likely tour Europe in Spring 2017 and rather than making a special trip in December, Bob will accept the Nobel Prize when he is there on tour.

Swedish Academy permanent secretary, Sara Danius, stated to Swedish Radio that she received confirmation of Bob Dylan’s manager that the artist will be in Stockholm this spring. “We have decided to set everything on that day. It will be a great opportunity to deliver his lecture.”