Balding was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. She attended the University of Kansas. She had the role of Carol David, mother of Jodie Dallas' child, on Soap, appearing in 19 episodes from 1978 through 1980. Balding played Corky Crandall in 1979 in the sitcom Makin' It, as well as the original female reporter Carla Mardigian during the first three episodes of the inaugural 1977 season of the drama series Lou Grant, starring Ed Asner, before that character was written out for a different female reporter. That same year she again appeared with Asner, playing his daughter Julie, in the classic Christmas TV film, The Gathering. In 1980 she starred in the pilot of the sitcom Mr. and Mrs. and Mr., that was never progressed as a series. In 1996 she made a guest appearance on 7th Heaven as Ellen, the mother of Matt's new girlfriend Tia.