Patti Smith is set to honour Bob Dylan at the forthcoming Nobel Prize ceremony in Sweden by performing a cover of one of his famous songs. The folk artist isn't going to be attending the event himself, but Smith is determined to make it a super special occasion nonetheless.

Bob DylanBob Dylan won't appear at the Nobel Prize ceremony himself

The punk rock icon will play Dylan's 1963 song 'A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall', from his album 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan', at the Stockholm event on Saturday. She was initially asked back in September to perform live at the gala and planned to do one of her own songs alongside an orchestra, but decided to change tack when it was announced that Dylan had won the Nobel Literature Prize.

'It seemed appropriate to set my own song aside and choose one of his', she told Rolling Stone. 'I chose 'A Hard Rain' because it is one of his most beautiful songs. It combines his Rimbaudian mastery of language with a deep understanding of the causes of suffering and ultimately human resilience.'

The singer-songwriter adds that she's always been a big fan of the folk legend. 'I have been following him since I was a teenager, half a century to be exact', she said. 'His influence has been broad and I owe him a great debt for that. I had not anticipated singing a Bob Dylan song on December 10th, but I am very proud to be doing so and will approach the task with a sense of gratitude for having him as our distant, but present, cultural shepherd.'

More: Bob Dylan to write a Nobel Prize speech

Bob Dylan has cited 'other commitments' as the reason why he won't be attending himself, though he has been writing a speech that is due to be read out at the ceremony. No further details have been announced regarding this and it is still unknown as to who will read the speech.

The Nobel Prize gala will take place on December 10th 2016.