Bob Smale nació el 21 de marzo de 1931 en Oakland, California, Estados Unidos. Estuvo casado con Mary H. Ranglin. Murió el 9 de noviembre de 2010 en Woodland Hills, Los Ángeles, California, Estados Unidos.
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.