Obama hails Nobel winner Dylan as one of 'favorite poets'

Yahoo – AFP, October 13, 2016

US President Barack Obama (R) presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to
US musician Bob Dylan in 2012 (AFP Photo/Mandel Ngan)

Washington (AFP) - US President Barack Obama on Thursday congratulated Bob Dylan on what he called his "well-deserved" Nobel literature prize, calling the music legend "one of my favorite poets."

Obama's message on Twitter contained a link to a Spotify playlist of Dylan's greatest hits including "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and "Like A Rolling Stone."

"Congratulations to one of my favorite poets, Bob Dylan, on a well-deserved Nobel," Obama tweeted -- a message retweeted nearly 3,000 times in 30 minutes.

The shock Nobel victory for the 75-year-old Dylan -- the first songwriter to take the prize -- stunned prize watchers.

He was honored "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition," the Swedish Academy said.

The 2016 #NobelPrize laureates pic.twitter.com/1eInQFVdy7

— AFP news agency (@AFP) October 13, 2016