A post to the official Facebook page of Ginger Baker reports that the acclaimed drummer is “critically ill in hospital.” The rocker's family confirmed the news via Twitter.

Baker has battled health issues in the past, including a respiratory infection in 2013 and “serious heart problems” in 2016. The latter led the drummer to cancel his tour at the time. He later underwent open heart surgery.

Baker came to prominence in '60s, most notably founding Cream alongside Eric Clapton. The group achieved worldwide fame thanks to their revolutionary hard rock sound, scoring hits with the songs "Sunshine of Your Love," "Crossroads" and "White Room." The prolific trio released three studio albums between 1966 and 1968 -- Fresh Cream, Disraeli Gears and Wheels of Fire. Their fourth and final LP, Goodbye, was released in Feb. 1969, months after the group had broken up.

Following Cream’s disbandment, Baker briefly joined Clapton and Steve Winwood in the supergroup Blind Faith. The band was short-lived, releasing one album before calling it quits.

From there, the drummer formed Ginger Baker's Air Force, another assembly of notable musicians, including Winwood, Ric Grech, Alan White and Denny Laine. The initial incarnation of the group lasted from 1969 to 1971.

Baker then spent many years as a solo artist, releasing 18 albums between 1972 and 2014. He reunited with his Cream bandmates in 2005 for a series of performances at Royal Albert Hall in London and Madison Square Garden in New York.

A documentary about Baker's life, Beware of Mr. Baker, was released in 2012. More recently, the drummer revived the Air Force name in 2015 with a new lineup.

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