Editing Ginger Baker (section)

== Personal life ==
Baker was infamous for his irascible personality and violent temper, as well as for confrontations with musicians and fans.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/oct/06/ginger-baker-wild-and-brilliant-cream-drummer-dies-aged-80|title=Ginger Baker, wild and brilliant Cream drummer, dies aged 80|last=Beaumont-Thomas|first=Ben|date=6 October 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=6 October 2019|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' reporter [[David Fricke]] wrote in 2012 that even in old age, "you get close to Baker at your peril."<ref name="auto">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/beware-of-mr-baker-a-documentary-about-the-genius-and-terror-of-drummer-ginger-baker-232253/|title=The Genius and Terror of Drummer Ginger Baker|last=Fricke|first=David|date=4 December 2012|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=6 October 2019}}</ref>

Baker was married four times and fathered three children. Baker and his first wife, Liz Finch, had their first child, Ginette Karen, on 20 December 1960. Baker's second daughter, Leda, was born 20 February 1968. Baker's son, Kofi Streatfield Baker, was born in March 1969 and named after Baker's friend, Ghanaian drummer [[Guy Warren|Kofi Ghanaba]].<ref>{{Cite book |first=Ginger |last=Baker |title=Ginger Baker: Hellraiser: The Autobiography of the World's Greatest Drummer |publisher=John Blake Publishing Ltd |year=2010}}</ref> Kofi himself is also a drummer, notably playing with [[Uli Jon Roth]] and [[Glenn Hughes (musician)|Glenn Hughes]].<ref name="Music of Cream 2017">{{cite web |title=Music of Cream |website=Music of Cream |date=14 March 2017 |url=https://www.musicofcream.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230128085718/https://www.musicofcream.com/ |archive-date=28 January 2023 |url-status=dead |access-date=27 June 2023}}</ref>

=== Illness and death ===
{{wikinews|Influential rock drummer Ginger Baker dies at age 80}}
Baker struggled with heroin addiction throughout his life, having begun using the drug in the 1960s while a jazz drummer in London clubs. Each time he travelled to Africa, he would get sober temporarily only to relapse. He estimated that he stopped using the drug around 29 times during his life, but was only able to quit permanently after moving to a small Italian village in 1981 where he took up olive farming.<ref name="guardian-interview" />

In February 2013, Baker said he had [[chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]] from years of heavy smoking, and chronic back pain from degenerative [[osteoarthritis]].<ref name="idrummag" /> In February 2016, Baker was diagnosed with "serious heart issues" and cancelled all future gigs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gingerbaker.com/blog/ginger-is-shocked-by-the-news-of-his-health/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505062347/http://www.gingerbaker.com/blog/ginger-is-shocked-by-the-news-of-his-health/|url-status=dead|title=Ginger is shocked by the news of his health|date=27 February 2016|archive-date=5 May 2016|website=gingerbaker.com}}</ref> Writing on his blog, he said, "Just seen doctor&nbsp;... big shock&nbsp;... no more gigs for this old drummer&nbsp;... everything is off&nbsp;... of all things I never thought it would be my heart&nbsp;..."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Kreps |first1=Daniel |title=Ginger Baker Cancels Tour Due to 'Serious Heart Problems' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ginger-baker-cancels-tour-due-to-serious-heart-problems-20160228 |access-date=12 May 2016 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=28 February 2016}}</ref> In late March 2016, it was revealed that Baker was set for pioneering treatment. "There are two options for surgery and, depending on how strong my old lungs are, they may do both." He added, "Cardiologist is brilliant. Yesterday he inserted a tube into the artery at my right wrist and fed it all the way to my heart—quite an experience. He was taking pictures of my heart from inside—amazing technology&nbsp;... He says he's going to get me playing again! Thanks all for your support".<ref>{{cite web |title=Ginger Baker facing surgery |url=https://www.hollywood.com/general/ginger-baker-facing-surgery-60559415 |website=hollywood.com |date=24 March 2016 |access-date=16 May 2022}}</ref> In June 2016, it was reported he was recovering from open heart surgery, but had also suffered a bad fall, which had caused swollen legs and feet.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Leda |url=http://www.gingerbaker.com/blog/ |title=Ginger Baker's Blog – Life and times of |website=Gingerbaker.com |access-date=22 July 2017}}</ref>

On 25 September 2019, Baker's family reported that he was critically ill in hospital, and asked fans to keep him in their prayers.<ref name='guardian20190926'>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/sep/26/cream-ginger-baker-critically-ill|title=Cream drummer Ginger Baker critically ill in hospital|first=Ben|last=Beaumont-Thomas|date=26 September 2019|work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/cream-ginger-baker-critically-ill-hospital-family-2551376|title=Cream's Ginger Baker is "holding his own "after being admitted to hospital in critical condition|first=Rhian|last=Daly|date=30 September 2019|website=NME}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/creams-ginger-baker-is-holding-his-own-in-hospital/|title=CREAM's GINGER BAKER Is 'Holding His Own' In Hospital|date=29 September 2019|website=Blabbermouth.net}}</ref> Baker died on 6 October 2019 at the age of 80, at a hospital in [[Canterbury]] from complications of [[chronic obstructive pulmonary disease|COPD]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/ginger-baker-rock-drumming-colossus-of-cream-dies-at-80/2019/10/06/f1aff9ae-e828-11e9-9c6d-436a0df4f31d_story.html|title=Ginger Baker, rock drumming colossus of Cream, dies at 80|first=Andrew|last=Marton|quote=died Oct. 6 at a care home in Canterbury, England. |date=6 October 2019|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Keepnews|first=Peter|title=Ginger Baker, Superstar Rock Drummer With U.K. Band Cream, Is Dead at 80|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/06/arts/music/ginger-baker-dead.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=6 October 2019 |quote=died on Sunday in a hospital in southeastern England |access-date=6 October 2019}}</ref><ref name="Baker death">{{Cite web| title=Ginger Baker: Legendary Cream drummer dies aged 80| publisher=BBC| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-49827436| date=6 October 2019| access-date=6 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Lentz III |first=Harris M. |title=Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2019 |date=28 October 2020 |publisher=McFarland |page=22 |isbn=9781476640594 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gW0HEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT36}}</ref> On 23 October 2019, a private funeral service was held in Canterbury, Kent, with close family and friends.