[2] Downing began singing with the Speers when she was 18 and stayed with them for five years, during which she participated in more than 1,000 performances[2] and was especially known for her treatments of "I Must Tell Jesus" and "On the Sunny Banks".
[2] Later in 1968, her husband suggested forming their own group, and in the spring of 1969, The Downings debuted with a performance at Bruce High School.
[2] In the summer of 1969, The Downings (described in the trade publication Billboard as "an unusually young gospel group") toured with Jimmie Davis and The Chuck Wagon Gang.
[2] She became a regular performer on Gaither Homecoming videos and has appeared on the Family Channel, TBN, and TNN television networks.
[5] Topics on which she speaks to groups include dealing with loss of a spouse, trauma in a family, fading success, and financial ruin.