Bob Smale was born on 21 March 1931 in Oakland, California, USA. He was married to Mary H. Ranglin. He died on 9 November 2010 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Dubbed "our resident piano-jazz genius" by his longstanding employer Lawrence Welk in the latter's 1981 book You're Never Too Young, Smale was likewise credited by Welk for his "ability to play any kind of music" and provide "great arrangements," as well as his track record of having provided such arrangements for many of the show's singers at their request.