Ginger Baker, the drummer behind the legendary 1960s rock band Cream, has died, his family announced Sunday. He was 80.
“We are very sad to say that Ginger has passed away peacefully in hospital this morning,” his family said on the Brit rocker’s official Twitter.
“Thank you to everyone for your kind words over the past weeks,” the short statement added, coming 10 days after they announced he was “critically ill” in a hospital.
His death was confirmed by Gary Hibbert, a media representative for his family. His daughter Nettie confirmed that Baker died in Britain but gave no other details.
Paul McCartney quickly paid tribute to the London-born drummer, who worked with him on his “‘Band on the Run” album.
“Ginger Baker, great drummer, wild and lovely guy,” he wrote on Twitter.
“Sad to hear that he died but the memories never will. X Paul.”
Baker was once named the third greatest drummer of all time, only trailing The Who’s Keith Moon and Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham.
The bricklayer’s son is still best known for his time with Eric Clapton in Cream, the short-lived ’60s psychedelic rock band whose classic tracks include “Sunshine of Your Love,” “Crossroads,” “Strange Brew” and “I Feel Free.” The trio’s other member, bassist Jack Bruce, died in 2014.
Baker stayed with Clapton to form Blind Faith with Steve Windwood, before moving to Lagos to play with Fela Kuti.
He has had a varied career since, playing in Hawkwind, John Lydon’s Public Image Ltd, as well as with jazz musicians like Charlie Haden and Bill Frisell.
He had suffered a series of health woes in recent years. In 2013, he told the rock mag that he had “extremely painful” degenerative osteoarthritis and pulmonary disease from smoking.He then had open-heart surgery in 2016 following a bad fall, Rolling Stone said at the time.
However he continued to perform regularly in his 70s despite arthritis, heart trouble, hearing loss dating from his years with Cream and lung disease from smoking.
He also survived heavy drug use, admitting to The Guardian in 2013 that he relapsed on heroin he relapsed “something like 29 times.”
No strangers to vices and not a fan of modesty, he called his memoir “Hellraiser: The Autobiography of the World’s Greatest Drummer.”
“John Bonham once made a statement that there were only two drummers in British rock ‘n’ roll; himself and Ginger Baker,” Baker wrote in his book. “My reaction to this was, ‘You cheeky little bastard!’”
Asked by the BBC in 2013 how he’d like to remember, he replied simply, “Drummer.”
Baker is survived by his wife, Kudzai Baker, as well as his three children, Nettie, Leda Baker and Kofi, who is also a drummer.
Ref;pagesix.com