840 AM originally signed on January 1, 1994, as WCTG with a Christian/Talk format using programming from USA Radio Network. The format had failed to make a splash in the ratings and was adjusted to a secular Talk format. The station became WCEO in November 2000, but the Talk format continued. Eventually, Spanish-language programming was added on weekends under time broker agreements.
In late November 2004, WCEO briefly changed format to Adult Standards as "Sunny 840", acquiring the callsign WSCQ in the process (WSCQ was used on 100.1 in the Columbia market for many years before becoming WXBT in early 2004). However, this arrangement lasted less than a month before the station changed again to Spanish Contemporary as "La Tremenda", reclaiming the WCEO call letters in the process.