Jeff Tweedy, frontman of Chicago six-piece Wilco, has written an open letter in support of gay marriage, ahead of an imminent decision on the gay marriage bill in Illinois, report The Line Of Best Fit.

On Valentine's Day, the state's Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act was approved by the local Senate, but must now pass through the state's House Of Representatives. To urge support for the bill, Tweedy published an open letter in the Belleville News-Democrat, the newspaper of his hometown, which you can read in full below:

"I was raised in Belleville and still happily reside in Illinois. Over the last few decades, I've had the good fortune as a member of the band Wilco to play music in every state in the union and in countless other countries. In my travels, I've witnessed firsthand that gay and lesbian couples want to marry for the same reasons all of us do -- to share a lifetime of commitment. I feel very strongly that everyone should be able to marry the person he or she loves and enjoy the dignity and respect that comes with that commitment.

"By excluding same-sex couples from marriage, our state saddles them, their children and itself with second-class status. That is wrong, and it hurts Illinois families and businesses.

"Nine other states have already extended the freedom to marry to gay and lesbian couples. I work and have friends in all those states, and I can say assuredly that it's time for Illinois to join them. Waiting and sending the signal that we're not open to and supportive of that community is a big mistake. The time is now.

"I hope you'll join me in calling on the Illinois General Assembly to give same-sex couples the freedom to marry by supporting SB 10.

"Jeff Tweedy, Chicago"

Illinois Unites For Marriage have posted the below graphic to show the next steps the state needs to take to pass the bill; head to their site here to support their campaign.