I understand what you're talking about, Genie, but you are mistaken about Dylan's range (in his younger years). He had a more considerable range than most male singers do. I know this, because I am a male singer...quite a good one...one who has no trouble holding pitch and singing in a resonant fashion...and I have found it extremely challenging to cover some of Dylan's early songs, simply because he had a greater range than I do. I have a normal range of about an octave and a half.

His ability to go from way down low to way up high in the earlier songs was quite striking, very consistent, and very strong.

His voice has badly deteriorated in the last 2 decades though, maybe the last two and a half decades, and he can't sing anything like he used to now.

I would think that being a heavy smoker has probably damaged his voice more than anything else, but that's just a guess on my part.

Have you seen the film of his live performances at Newport Folk Festival in 63-64-65? That man could sing!