I admit I know very little about the professional music scene, but I have heard that most musicians who are not given the 'honour' of airtime on major radio stations because they do not have big contracts with the big music promoters, have to make their living from live gigs in relatively small venues like clubs etc. They then supplement their income with the CD's or mp3's they sell online.

I listened to your playing on Youtube just now, and I wish I could play half as well, but I understand your frustration: you would love to be rewarded for what you love to do, and yet that is a difficult task to achieve.