By Philip Hennen
My wife, Myra, and I have only lived in Fort Worth’s White Lake Hills since March 2022, but we feel extremely lucky to have made that choice.
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We bought our house because it had the features we wanted. We didn’t realize at that time what a dynamic and welcoming community we were moving to. We feel so fortunate because of the great, active and capable neighbors we have met. We both retired a short time before our move, so it is very gratifying to be able to make these friendships.
For several years, we had been hosting “house concerts” at our previous home. Thankfully, we have been able to continue that here.
A house concert is just what it sounds like: a live musical performance in your house to an audience of invited guests.
House concerts provide an appealing alternative to commercial venues for musicians and audiences to interact. Most shows include time before and after the performance for socializing and refreshments.
Fort Worth-based band Sombati performs at Hennen and Waldrop’s home. (Courtesy photo | Philip Hennen)
My wife, several friends and I are musicians, so we are interested in opportunities to perform and feel strongly about supporting other local musicians. We built a studio in the back of our home, equipped with lighting, sound equipment and a small stage.
We host a wide range of styles with a focus on musicians based in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Performances range from solo artists to duos to groups of various sizes.
It is important to point out that we do not do this as a business. We do not charge for tickets, but guests are welcome — and encouraged — to offer contributions to the performers.
We are fortunate in our White Lake Hills neighborhood that most of our streets are quiet and wide, without much thru-traffic. The space where we host the performances can hold 60 attendees, so that can amount to a lot of cars parking near our house. Thanks to the design of our streets and lots, that doesn’t cause much of a problem. Our neighbors have been very supportive of our events, and we are very grateful for that.
Our neighborhood has a very active and effective neighborhood association — not an HOA — that sponsors several events during the year, usually at our Smith-Wilemon Pocket Park. The association maintains entrance signs and landscaping and deals with various problems common to most neighborhoods. There is a neighborhood social and wine group that hosts monthly parties as well as several walking groups and book clubs. All of these enhance the appeal of White Lake Hills.
We intend to be deeply involved in the various activities available in our neighborhood for the foreseeable future with plans to continue hosting house concerts. We’re so fortunate to have found our neighborhood.
Philip Hennen and Myra Waldrop pose outside their White Lake Hills home on Sept. 5, 2025. (David Moreno | Fort Worth Report)
Philip Hennen is the founder of Granite Shoals Studio, based inside his East Fort Worth home. Find out about an upcoming concert here.
White Lake Hills
Total population: 2,366
Female: 55% | Male: 45%
Age
0-9: 17%
10-19: 2%
20-29: 20%
30-39: 17%
40-49: 3%
50-59: 8%
60-69: 14%
70-79: 8%
80 and older: 12%
Education
No degree: 9%
High school: 26%
Some college: 26%
Bachelor’s degree: 23%
Post-graduate: 15%
Race
White: 58% | Black: 16% | Hispanic: 19% | Asian: 0% | Two or more: 7%
Click on the link to view the schools’ Texas Education Agency ratings:
Source: Census Reporter
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