'Christmas In The Heart' features covers of popular festive numbers, including 'I'll Be Home For Christmas', 'Must Be Santa' and 'O Little Town of Bethlehem'.

All present and future proceeds from the release will go to the the charity Feeding America.

In a statement, Dylan said: “It's a tragedy that more than 35 million people in this country alone - 12 million of those children - often go to bed hungry and wake up each morning unsure of where their next meal is coming from.

“I join the good people of Feeding America in the hope that our efforts can bring some food security to people in need during this holiday season."

The final tracklisting for the album, which will be the singer-songwriter's second release of 2009, has yet to be confirmed.

Meanwhile, Dylan revealed on his BBC 6 Music radio show this week that he had been asked to provide the voice over for a satellite navigation system.

(by Jason Gregory)