Ginger Baker, Legendary Cream Drummer, Dead at 80

Ginger Baker, a member of the rock band Cream known as one of music’s greatest drummers, has died, his family says. He was 80.

The news was confirmed by his family on Sunday morning in a statement to media. A Twitter account that appears to be affiliated with Baker also confirmed the news. That account noted in recent weeks that Baker was “critically ill” and hospitalized on Sept. 25. While they note that he was “holding his own” Sept. 29, it appears things took a turn for the worse. He died in the hospital in the U.K., and no cause of death has been made public.

“Dad passed away peacefully,” Nettie Baker, his daughter, told CNN on Sunday morning. “He was in no pain and had recently been able to see and speak to his children, close family and special friends.”

Cream, which also featured Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, were behind some of the most revered a popular rock songs of the ’60s, including “Sunshine of Your Love,” “White Room” and “Crossroads.” These songs, among others, went down in history as some of the most influential in popular music history. They’ve been used in all types of media throughout the years, with “White Room” even soundtracking a key scene in Joker, the just-released DC Comics film that is currently the No. 1 movie in the world. The band, including Baker, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

Aside from Cream, Baker also performed with Blind Faith (also with Clapton) and Ginger Baker’s Air Force. He also famously recorded several projects with African music icon Fela Kuti.

Among the tributes to Baker that have already come in, Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World director Edgar Wright expressed his love of Baker’s work in Cream, as well as other bands he went on to join. Hawkwind, a psychedelic band that Baker once recorded and toured with, also shared a brief tribute.

No sort of funeral or memorial arrangements have been announced as of press time.

Photo Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images